Now streaming on Peacock, the new comedy series starring and co-created byPete Davidson,Bupkis,comes packed with a loaded cast of recognizable faces and acclaimed actors. With the support ofEdie Falco, Bobby Cannavale, Brad Garrett, Ray Romano, and various other one-episode turns, Davidson plays himself in a heavily autobiographical show that grapples with his upbringing and relationship with the public. The most prominent name in this cast, and the one that causes the most surprise and befuddlement for his appearance alone, is none other thanJoe Pesci. Isn’t he retired? Or at least, wasn’tThe Irishmana proper last dance for him? As it turned out, like the rest of pop culture, Pesci was allured by Davidson, and his involvement inBupkisopens a window for continued work for the actor in his elder years.
InBupkis, Pesci plays Joe Larocca, the grandfather of the Davidson character. Now more reserved relative to the livewire force the 80-year-old actor used to bring, Pesci still brings a familiar energy to his performance. Acting closer to a surrogate father to Davidson, he tries to teach his grandson the ways of life in a no-nonsense manner. Reminiscent of his various wiseguy characters of before, he often comes equipped with a wisecrack remark towards Davidson or his surroundings. Through sometimes cliché demonstrations, Joe is baffled by the quirky lifestyle and celebrity persona that Davidson enacts. Representing the Italian-American origins of Davidson’s background, Pesci playing this role is quality casting. Having said that, all this still begs the question of why he chose to return to his profession again for this part.
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Joe Pesci’s Career and His Initial Retirement
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Pesci’s initial retirement in the late 1990s was partially motivated by hispursuit of a musical career.This is how he got his start in the creative field–singing and playing guitar throughout various lounges in New York City in the ’60s. By the ’70s, he formed a friendship and creative partnership withFrank Vincent, a frequent portrayer of mobsters best known for Billy Batts inGoodfellasand Phil Leotardo inThe Sopranos. It wasn’t untilMartin ScorseseandRobert De NirosawThe Death Collector, Pesci’s on-screen debutthat the star was given the ultimate breakthrough. Also starring Vincent, who he continued his fruitful partnership with across three Scorsese films,Raging Bullintroduced Pesci to a mass audience. His performance as Joey LaMotta, the brother of the titular Raging Bull who demonstrated similar violent tendencies as the world champion boxer, garnered him an Oscar nomination–his first of three in his career.
Pesci’s career soared to excellence in the ’90s, kicked off by a groundbreaking 1990 for the actor. He won an Academy Award for playing the iconic, ruthlessly hilarious, and vicious mobster Tommy Devito inMartin Scorsese’sGoodfellas. In addition, he carved out a new corner of his career in his turn toward comedies, starring as Harry, one-half of the Wet Bandits inHome Alonein the same year. He also became a mainstay in theLethal Weaponfranchise, playing the comic sidekick to Riggs and Murtaugh, Leo Getz. Pesci’s stardom “heat check” came in 1992 when he was the lead star vehicle of the comedyMy Cousin Vinny. He is seamless as Vincent Gambini, a fish-out-of-water Yankee lawyer transported to the deep south to defend his cousin wrongfully accused of murder. Out of nowhere, this 5"3 supporting actor destined to play mobsters throughout his entire career became a bankable comedic and romantic lead–a four-quadrant star loved by all ages and demographics. Pesci was a consistent workforce in the ’90s, reuniting with Scorsese again inCasino, and giving a maximalist performance asDavid FerrieinOliver Stone’s controversial feverish conspiracy thriller,JFK.
Joe Pesci’s Return to Acting in ‘The Irishman’ Was the Fitting Capstone to His Career
Once he announced his retirement in 1999, Pesci was rarely seen, only appearing in a cameo inThe Good Shepherd, a film directed by Robert De Niro, andLove Ranch, a 2010 dramedy starringHelen Mirren. Averse to celebrity life and the media spotlight, audiences would long for the actor’s return to the big screen. Around the time of his retirement, Pesci curiously released the albumVincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just For You, a collection of humorous and serious jazz tunes often performed as his portrayed movie characters, with none more bizarre than the track “Wise Guy,” which tests the actor’s versatility as he takes on the genre of hip-hop.
While it was a difficult ordeal, which included50 offers ending in rejection, Pesci made a triumphant return to Martin Scorsese’s revisionist swan song of the gangster picture,The Irishman.Scorsese persuaded himby insisting that this would be a different take on the mob films that have come to define their respective careers. This was all well worth the wait, as Pesci gave a performance of a lifetime in the film asRussell Bufalino, dialing back his fiery hostility into an internal menace. Pesci’s performance was a fitting walk off into the sunset, along with the gangster genre and the legendary collaboration between Scorsese and Robert De Niro. Who would have thought, the eccentricSaturday Night Livecast member with a peculiar face would be the one to compromise this capstone?
Pesci’s Draw Towards Pete Davidson and the Future of His Career
If Martin Scorsese did everything but physically drag Joe Pesci out of retirement in order to fulfill his magnum opus, it was most likely understood among the public that he would certainly never work again afterThe Irishman. This did not stop the creative team behindBupkisfrom venturing out for Pesci’s collaboration with the series. According to Pete Davidson’stestimony onThe Tonight Show,Lorne Michaels, the head ofSNLandBupkisexecutive producer, proposed the idea of Pesci starring as his on-screen grandfather in the semi-autobiographical series. After a few meetings, the two stars developed an immediate chemistry and Pesci subsequently signed on. Between his fortunate history of romantic partners and unexpected rise as a celebrity icon, Davidson has an inexplicable majestic charm to him.Judah Miller, one of the creators ofBupkis,described the seriesas “a fever dream of Pete’s life, and what it feels like to be in Pete’s orbit.” Miller praised Davidson for his ambition regarding the casting process, stating that “When it comes to casting someone like Joe Pesci, you’re told that it’s impossible. You’re told it’s not going to happen and Pete is a dreamer. But somehow he’s able to make things that seem impossible,happen. It’s unbelievable.”
Because Joe Pesci is press-shy, audiences will likely never receive the clearest answer as to why Pesci signed on while still in retirement. The actor’s agreement to star was seen asvalidation of the show’s worth, according to Davidson as a guest onJon Bernthal’s podcast,Real Ones. Feeling insecure over vitriolic comments made by random people online and celebrity figures, he felt emotionally uplifted by Pesci’s casting, explaining that “I got the guy no one can get. And that changed my life. I owe him everything.” From what is evident from Davidson’s praise of the actor, Pesci felt an inextricable link towards him, much like a large portion of American audiences.
Despite his often intimidating presence, Pesci has proven to be gifted as a comedic actor and appears to be fond of the genre based on his participation in that field. His performance as Davidson’s grandfather is a bright spot in the 8-episode series, carrying over his reserved energy fromThe Irishman, only with a comic sentiment. If Pesci andDaniel-Day Lewishave proven anything, it is that retirement is tentative. The right project can come along and reinvigorate a star’s passion. If he can maintain a corner as a premiere elder lighthearted comic force, Pesci may never officially retire.
