Staten Island‑born independent wrestler Vinny Pacifico is expanding his entertainment résumé with a role in the upcoming feature film I Dream of Pizza. The movie, directed by Matt Provenzano, follows a young Italian‑American pizza prodigy who heads to New York City to open a shop, only to have it taken over by an Italian crime family.
From the ring to the set
Pacifico told OutKick Dropkick that the script reminded him of a mix between Goodfellas and the animated classic Ratatouille. “Who would say no to this?” he said, adding that he loves the original film and was thrilled to be part of his first Italian‑themed movie.
He highlighted the positive, family‑friendly nature of the story, noting that it offers “a lot of twists and turns” while showcasing the challenges of a kid trying to run a pizza shop under mob pressure. The cast includes Antoinette Crowe‑Legacy, Michael Leavy, Giorgio Cantarini and Vic Dibitetto, with more names to be announced.
Balancing wrestling and acting
Pacifico emphasized that his wrestling career remains a priority. He continues to compete for Coastal Championship Wrestling in Florida and Hollywood Wrestling, and he plans to wrestle as long as his body allows. “I don’t want to stop either of them and I never will stop either of them,” he said, adding that he aims to stay healthy enough to wrestle into his 60s and 70s.
He described the physical toll of the wrestling business—constant travel, frequent flights, and the wear from bumps and weapons—and outlined his regimen of physical therapy, stretching, massages, acupuncture, and vitamins to keep his body in peak condition.
Local pride and future projects
Pacifico, who is of Italian descent, expressed pride in representing his heritage on screen. He also mentioned ongoing collaborations with fellow independent wrestlers such as Richard Holliday, Ben Bishop, Effy, and Rhett Titus, many of whom he hopes to see transition into film.
While I Dream of Pizza is still in pre‑production, fans can catch Pacifico in recent indie projects like “Mr. Reset and the Society of Turnbuckle & Bone” and “Between the Living and the Dead.”
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
