A Fresh Look at the Mafia Genre
Jennifer Esposito has turned Hollywood on its head. Not only is the actress the lead in the newest mafia movie, Fresh Kills, but she also wrote, directed, and provided the majority of the funding for it. Speaking of girl bosses!
Esposito essentially put her money where her mouth was because of how intensely passionate she was about the project. In order to have the movie done, she took a big risk and mortgaged her own house after receiving many rejections from studios.
Fresh Kills as a Reclaimed Dream
Why the altercation? For Fresh Kills is not your usual film about a mobster. It’s a novel viewpoint presented from the viewpoint of women. Esposito, fed up with women being reduced to props in mob movies, puts them front and center, delving into their frustration, helplessness, and the social norms that confine them.
It took time for her to develop the desire to share her own tale. A “Harvey Weinstein-esque” producer almost put an end to Esposito’s career at the age of 26. He discredited her, circulated untruths about her, and purposefully dissuaded employers from hiring her. What a crushing blow.
Being that I worked at @CondeNast for ten years. And at Glamour under @cindi_leive where we used to celebrate women. So disappointed I’ve seen zero press on @FreshKillsMovie from any Conde publications. @glamourmag @NewYorker @VanityFair @voguemagazine @VanityFair… pic.twitter.com/hGVHNBrT4D
— Damon Gonzalez (@TheyCallMeDaymz) July 4, 2024
A Leap of Faith and a Possible Path to Greatness
But Esposito took this failure as motivation rather than allowing it to define her. Her strategy for taking back control and granting her younger self the career she deserved was to launch Fresh Kills. It’s an homage to the 26-year-old who dared to pursue her dreams in Hollywood and a protest against the business that sought to shape her story.
The tale of Esposito is one of tenacity, fervor, and a huge leap of faith. It serves as a reminder that sometimes you have to put all of your money on the line and wager on yourself. Who knows, your risk could end up becoming the next big thing in cinema history.
