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Mario Cantone, now starring in And Just Like That on HBO Max, recently spoke with DOWNTOWN’s publisher Grace A. Capobianco about finding success in his own brand of comedy, a passion for baking, and love with husband Jerry Dixon. DOWNTOWN COVER LGBTQ+ ISSUE SUMMER 2025 reprint

 

Some people are born with lightning in their veins. They walk into a room, and it changes. They laugh, and it fills the space. They cry, and the whole world tilts. The electricity is palpable. Mario Cantone is one of those rare people. You don’t just meet him; you feel him. You hear it in the boom of his voice, see it in his eyes that never stop moving, and witness it in his fierce love for his craft, his people, and his truth. Mario isn’t just funny; he’s electric. After all these years in the business, after decades of comedy, stage, and screen, his time has arrived. This is his moment. Not because he has suddenly changed, but because the world is finally ready for someone so real.

The Foundation of a Firework

Mario grew up in Stoneham, Massachusetts, in an Italian family that gave him a little bit of everything: love, chaos, laughter, heartbreak, and a temperament loud enough to fill a kitchen and a theater at once. The youngest of five and the only boy, he never “came out”; he simply was.

Cantone credits his vibrant, expressive personality to the women who raised him, his sister Marion (who sadly passed but remains an inspiration), and his beloved Italian aunts. “They made everything dramatic, warm, and wild,” he says. “That’s where the spirit comes from.”

But not everything was warm. His mother struggled with gambling and passed away young. Mario speaks of her with unflinching honesty. “She wasn’t the mother I needed. I don’t think she wanted to be a mother,” he says, without anger but with clarity.

As a teen, he found support in the theater. “My high school teacher Jim Romano, saved me. He was gay, my mentor, director, therapist. I was safe with him.”

Marion, too, played a role: “She had gay friends and never made a thing of it. She made me feel it was normal. Ironically, she was the last one I came out to; she was furious. Said, ‘I’m always the last to know!’ I thought she already knew!”

He came out to close friends and his cousin in ninth or tenth grade, though he says he knew as early as five or six years old. “ I never feared being accepted. I was bullied verbally but never physically. And by high school? I was the theater kid. I starred in musicals, danced at every school event, did stand-up at the talent show every year, and I crushed it. I taught the other boys to dance!”

Even his old tormentors became protectors.

He’s been to reunions. “It’s wild,” he says, laughing. “Everyone looks like my grandparents.”

Steampipe Alley and the Studio of Legends

In the late ‘80s, Mario hosted a kids’ show called Steampipe Alley on WWOR-TV in New Jersey, and it became a cult classic.

“Saturday Night Live on steroids,” as he calls it. Toilet bowl trivia, baby races, Julia Child impressions, spontaneous show tunes, it was theater, sketch comedy, and game show madness all rolled into one, with Mario at the center like a wild- eyed ringmaster.

“We didn’t dumb anything down. I was me, at full wattage. Did the kids get it? I don’t know. But their parents loved it too.” He co-created it with Judy Katschke and helped shape the chaos from the inside. “It lasted five years. One of the highest-rated kids’ shows in the country.”

WWOR was buzzing with legends. “Howard Stern was down the hall. Jackie Mason, Richard Bey, and Morton Downey Jr. screamed at people daily. It was a crazy, fun time.”

The City He Loves, the Life He Built

Today, Mario lives in New York City and has no plans to buy property. “I like freedom,” he says. “I’d rather rent. That way, I can go to Rome, Sonoma, and Marin County. I don’t need to be locked in.”

He’s working on getting his Italian citizenship, not because he’s leaving, but because Italy has his heart.
But his true home? Wherever his husband, actor/director Jerry Dixon, is.

“Jerry’s my balance,” Mario says. “He lifts me up when I’m down. He also knows when to leave me alone when I’m down.”

They’ve been together for more than 25 years, and Mario speaks about their life with tenderness and honesty. “He works more than I do. He gets up before me. I could stay in bed all day.”

Their joy is simple: visits to friends, great restaurants, good food, theatre, comedy, and quiet nights. “He’s a cat,” Mario laughs. “Me? I’m chaos. But we work.”

His Renaissance Years

Mario’s never stopped working, but today, it feels like he’s hit a new golden era.

He returned to HBO Max’s And Just Like That as Anthony Marentino, the fiery, fabulous, deeply human wedding planner-turned-baker. “I was supposed to do one episode,” Mario says. “Then it just kept going. Now I’m a regular.”

His on-screen romance with boyfriend Giuseppe, portrayed by actor Sebastiano Pigazzi (grandson of the legendary Bud Spencer) has become a fan favorite. “We didn’t even have a chemistry read,” Mario laughs. “But we hit it off. We’ve become so close, it’s weird doing love scenes now!”

He’s also found a second home on Turner Classic Movies, co-hosting segments including Creepy Cinema with Ben Mankiewicz.

“Oh, I love it,” he beams. “I get to curate the films, sit and talk, sometimes argue. It’s not a five-minute comedy monologue; it’s a conversation. It’s heaven.”

Hot Fellas, Hot Takes, and Hot Bread

Hot Fellas isn’t just a set, it’s become a cultural moment. The cheekily named bakery, staffed by shirtless “hunks” in tight shorts and aprons, is outrageous in all the best ways.

“It’s called Hot Fellas. What do people expect, cupcakes and modesty?” Mario quips.

When HBO hosted a real-life pop-up version in Manhattan, fans lined up around the block to take photos and buy (real) bread in a space that looked like the set brought to life.

“People came in, bought baguettes, and took selfies. It was surreal. I kept saying, ‘You know this isn’t a real bakery, right?’ But they didn’t care. They loved it. We all did.”

Mario is effusive when he talks about Giuseppe, (Pigazzi), his on-screen lover and his off-screen friend. He’s called him “a great actor,” and their connection runs deep.Their rapport, spontaneous chemistry, warmth, and trust, comes through in every frame.

On set, Mario has praised Pigazzi’s talent, pointing out how he brings emotional depth and vulnerability to their scenes. Their bond is rooted in creative respect and genuine friendship. Whether they’re delivering heartfelt dialogue or dancing through a playful bakery moment, Mario says you can see that Giuseppe “breaks him down in the sweetest way,” blending humor, tenderness, and authenticity into Anthony’s evolution.

“These scenes, and the romance with Giuseppe, give Anthony new dimension,” he says. “He’s grown up. He’s still funny, still a little outrageous. But now there’s heart.”

The Women, the Bond, the Real Love

Behind the scenes of And Just Like That, the bond between Mario Cantone and the show’s three leading women, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis, is unmistakably real.

Over the years, they’ve evolved from co-stars to what Mario describes as chosen family. “They’ve always been incredibly generous,” he says. “We’ve been through so much together. The laughs, the tears, the fights, they’re part of my real life.”

A photo from the set captures them perfectly: Mario with the three women, arms around each other, beaming. A long- awaited moment of equal footing.

There are moments on set that capture more than camaraderie. They reflect a connection built on decades of trust, shared history, and mutual respect.

“We’ve cried together, we’ve screamed, we’ve laughed so hard we couldn’t breathe,” Mario has said. Whether on a red carpet or in a quiet moment between takes, their embrace is genuine. It’s not just chemistry, it’s love.

Living Loud, Living Proud

Mario has always been out. “I didn’t come out, I was never in,” he says.

But he’s also honest about his fears in today’s political climate. “I’m worried. About rights being rolled back. About marriage equality. About where this country’s going.”

He’s especially moved by the strength of his trans friends. “It’s not easy. But it’s real. That’s how serious it is, people go through everything just to live in the right body.”

His advice? “Be who you are. Keep climbing the rock. Grow tough skin. That’s what keeps you alive.”

Love, Food, and a Little COVID Reset

During the pandemic, Mario and husband Jerry grew even closer. “I cooked every night. Jerry was running a theater in Seattle over Zoom. It brought us peace.”

The stillness gave him clarity. “You realize what you can live without. It was freeing.”

His cooking isn’t just a hobby, it’s how he shows love. From banana bread sold at Stone Street Café to sweet potato pie that won over Jerry’s Southern family, food is his language.

“Even his mother loved it,” he says, grinning.

In California, he found a second home through friends Charlie and Lisa Palmer. Chef Charlie Palmer hosts a culinary event called Pigs & Pinot.

Charlie Palmer’s Pigs & Pinot has become an iconic annual celebration held every March in Healdsburg, California, now entering its 18th year. What began as a regional culinary event has grown into a beloved weekend that draws chefs, winemakers, and food lovers from across the country. At the heart of it all is Mario Cantone, who returns year after year to co-host and emcee the festivities. He brings his signature humor and warmth to the “Tournament of the Pig,” a playful but high-stakes culinary showdown that pits top chefs against each other in pork- centric cook-offs, all in the name of charity.

Mario doesn’t just entertain, he helps raise significant funds for youth arts programs and local causes, often ad-libbing his way to unexpected donations mid-event. His connection to the Palmers runs deep. It was Lisa Palmer, Charlie’s wife, who first invited Mario to visit Healdsburg years ago. They met at a dinner in New York, and as Mario tells it, “She was so sweet and funny, I thought, ‘If she loves this place, it must be special.’”

That visit turned into a love affair with the region and a long-standing commitment to the event. While Lisa plays a quieter but essential role in the ambiance and hospitality of the weekend, her influence is unmistakable. For Mario, Pigs & Pinot isn’t just a food and wine event, it’s a celebration of community, generosity, and the joy of coming together around something delicious, meaningful, and just a little bit wild. One year “Charlie gave $10,000 to a theater in my name,” Mario says. “That’s the kind of man he is.”

Roots and Return

Mario is in the process of obtaining his Italian citizenship. His father’s family is from Sciacca, Sicily; his mother’s from Avellino.

“I don’t have family there anymore, but it’s in me,” he says. “Rome is magic. I want to rent a place and just… be there.”

In food, in spirit, in drama, he carries Italy with him.

The Last Word

Ask him what he wants to be remembered for, and he answers without pause.

“Just always being who I was. Hopefully funny enough to make you forget a little.”

But Mario Cantone is so much more than funny. He’s a force of nature. A one-man fireworks show. A truth-teller with a Broadway heart and a Boston backbone.

And now, finally, the world is catching up.

He didn’t wait for the moment. He is the moment. DTM

Photography Antoine Verglas @antoineverglas

Stylist: Arnold Milfort @arnoldmilfort
Stylist Assistant: Isabella Trine @isabellatrine
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Hair: David Cotteblanche @hairbydavidcotteblanche Makeup: Brian Duprey @brianduprey