Determinedly setting out to prove how versatile your range, personality and abilities are can be a daunting task, whether you wish to demonstrate that your professional talents are distinctly unique, or you want to move past personal and cultural stereotypes. Taking the first steps to show that adaptability can be challenging because people are often unwilling to change their minds and see you for who you truly are. That harrowing process of bravely demonstrating your real skills to the world is grippingly showcased in the new trailer for the upcoming comedy, ‘Friends and Romans,’ which is exclusively premiering on Shockya.

The characters in ‘Friends and Romans,’ much like the film’s castmates, many of whom are familiar to audiences from such projects as ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Goodfellas,’ are trying to prove their acting abilities beyond their classic mobster-extra roles. The comedy stars Michael Rispoli (‘The Sopranos’), Annabella Sciorra (‘The Sopranos’), Paul Ben-Victor (‘Daredevil,’ ‘The Wire,’ ‘Entourage’), Katie Stevens (‘Faking It’), Tony Darrow (‘The Sopranos,’ ‘Goodfellas’), Anthony DeSando (‘Magic City,’ ‘The Sopranos’) and Tony Sirico (‘The Sopranos,’ ‘Goodfellas’).

‘Friends and Romans,’ which will begin it’s theatrical release on October 23, was directed by Christopher Kublan. The helmer co-wrote the film’s script with Gregg Greenberg and Rispoli. The following synopsis for ‘Friends and Romans’ has been released:

Nick DeMaio (Rispoli) is an aspiring actor who is perpetually typecast as “Gangster # 3” in films about the Mob. In an attempt to be taken seriously, he and his Staten Island buddies decide to stage a play—and not just any play, but Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’-with Nick as the star. Gathering at odd hours to rehearse, they attract the attention of the Feds, who mistake these good guys for “goodfellas,” and assume the play is a cover for criminal activity. Once again typecast as a gangster-this time in real life-Nick has to prove his mettle, both onstage and off.

Watch Shockya’s exclusive trailer premiere for ‘Friends and Romans’ below.

Paul Ben-Victor and Michael Rispoli in Friends and Romans
(L-R) Paul Ben-Victor and Michael Rispoli in ‘Friends and Romans.’

Written by: Karen Benardello

By Karen Benardello

As a graduate of LIU Post with a B.F.A in Journalism, Print and Electronic, Karen Benardello serves as ShockYa's Senior Movies & Television Editor. Her duties include interviewing filmmakers and musicians, and scribing movie, television and music reviews and news articles. As a New York City-area based journalist, she's a member of the guilds, New York Film Critics Online and the Women Film Critics Circle.

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