Before he landed his costarring role in Wes Anderson's swashbuckling new film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Tony Revolori, now 17, would structure most days thus: "Wake up, grab my guitar, play a little bit, practice, go out with my brother and do some fun activities." Some light Googling reveals that Revolori and his big brother Mario have played gigs, posted videos of their songs, and even released an album of polished pop-rock. This is not the first time Anderson has led a Southern California kid from the all-ages scene to the A-list: around the time Revolori was born, Jason Schwartzman starred in Anderson's cult hit Rushmore when he was a member of L.A. rock darlings Phantom Planet. And like Schwartzman's indelible portrayal of the prep-school overachiever Max Fischer, Revolori's Zero Moustafa, a wide-eyed lobby boy under the command of the titular hotel's brilliantly manic concierge M. Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes in his Anderson debut), is both hilarious and heartbreaking.
Then again, Revolori, who grew up in Anaheim, has been acting almost as long as he's been walking, with parts in Entourage, My Name is Earl, Shameless, and the movie The Perfect Game, which also features his brother Mario. (Both Tony and Mario auditioned for the part of Zero; somehow, neither one was strangled in the process.)
On location in Germany, Revolori kept spry by reading Shakespeare with Fiennes, checking out music recommended by Schwartzman, who also plays a concierge in the film, and cranking up his favorite band, the Rolling Stones. His #1 Stones song? "I'd have to say, 'You Can't Always Get What You Want.' It's so true." Strange words from someone who seems to be getting exactly what he wants. But maybe it's that mixture of humbleness and ambition -- a mixture shared by Zero -- that makes him such a good lobby boy.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is in theaters on March 7th.
Grooming by Mitesh Rajani
Grooming by Mitesh Rajani
