“We had a similar structure of friendship that Breaking Away has, but we also have these two worlds and the sea monster secret. “Breaking Away taught us about turning two movies into one,” Casarosa says. Breaking Away, a 1979 American coming-of-age drama centered on competitive cycling, was crucial in helping Luca’s creators-in-chief to marry its two distinct parts together. Two of Luca’s biggest stylistic inspirations, though, came from unusual sources. The 1950s and 1960s Golden Age of Italian cinema, including famed director Federico Fellini’s works and Luchino Visconti’s La Terra Trema, a documentary-style drama about real-life Italian fishermen, were also notable influences for Luca’s characters, location and plot. Research trips to the Cinque Terre (a group of colorful and picturesque centuries-old Italian Riviera fishing villages) helped to inform the aesthetic of Portorosso and Luca’s depiction of Mediterranean coastal communities. Given the inspiration for Luca’s story and setting, it comes as no surprise that Italian influences run through its heart. That gave us the little bit that we use in the post-credits scene as we just had to fit more Ugo into the movie.” Creating an Italian anime We wrote three versions of his monologue and let Sacha run with it, and it was the funniest stuff. “We found a little window in Sacha’s busy schedule and we were so happy that he wanted to delve into this character. “One of the wonderful silver linings of making this movie remotely was it opened up collaborations that we wouldn’t normally see,” Casarosa says. The duo, though, are upstaged – in Luca’s family circle, at least – by a movie-stealing cameo from deep-sea dwelling uncle Ugo, played by none other than Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen. Supporting Luca’s young-yet-talented cast are the likes of Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids, Mitchells vs the Machines) and Jim Gaffigan (My Boys, Chuck) as Luca’s mom and dad respectively. She just embodies that spirit and energy, so she was a great match for Giulia’s quirkiness.” “There were times where she was having so much fun recording lines that we’d say ‘Emma, we need less giggling’. “Emma is just so joyful, excited and giddy,” Warren says. As Warren explains, though, the teenage actress wasn’t daunted by the prospect of taking her first major movie role. While Tremblay (Room, Doctor Sleep) and Grazer (Shazam, It) have plenty of acting experience despite their tender years, Berman was an industry newcomer.
Luca’s creative team cast the proverbial net far and wide in search of its three stars ( Luca, Alberto and Giulia), and eventually settled on the talented trio of Tremblay, Grazer and Berman. Naturally, a movie centered on childhood friendships required a young cast to voice the lead roles, with Luca becoming the first Pixar movie since 2017’s Coco to have a teenage lead. We let Sacha run with, and it was the funniest stuff. When we started work on Luca, I started asking myself ‘Would we be the same people if we didn’t have the friends we have?’ and ‘What does friendship do when we grow up? How much of it is about finding ourselves?’ When I pitched the first idea for Luca, a lot of people related and said they had friends like that, too.” “I followed him around and got dragged into trouble.
“He was a troublemaker,” Casarosa explains. Having grown up in Genoa, the Italian Riviera city, he was a timid child until he met real-life best friend Alberto – a lifelong companion who brought Casarosa out of his shell. What they can’t do, however, is blend into their surroundings very well – and the duo soon find themselves drawing suspicious glances from fellow teenager Giulia (Emma Berman), her fisherman father Massimo (Marco Barricelli) and local town bully Ercole Visconti (Saverio Raimondo).įor Casarosa, Luca’s story and setting were of personal significance. Luckily for Luca and Alberto, they can adopt human form when on dry land. Why is it dangerous? Because both Luca and Alberto hide a secret – they’re sea monsters, and Portorosso’s townsfolk have hunted such creatures for centuries. He seemingly gets his wish when he meets the confident Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), and it isn’t long before the pair embark on a dangerous trip to the fictional seaside town of Portorosso. The film follows Luca, voiced by Jacob Tremblay, a shy and lonely teenager who longs for adventure.