
Both men passed away in 2013, and those conversations, along with letters Lip wrote his wife, form the basis of Green Book, which stars Mahershala Ali Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, known professionally as Mahershala Ali, is an American actor and rapper who is a recipient of several awards, including two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Time magazine named Ali one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019.Mahershala Ali
Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Peter Mortensen Jr. is a Danish-American actor, author, musician, photographer, poet, and painter. Born in New York to a Danish father and American mother, he was a resident of Venezuela and Argentina during his childhood. He is the recipient of various accolades including a Scree…
Full Answer
Who are the actors in the book Green Book?
Green Book Cast List. Viggo Mortensen Tony Vallelonga. Viggo Mortensen is an American actor who has been nominated for three Academy Awards. His first film was the Woody Allen film The Purple Rose of Cairo in 1985, but his scenes were deleted before the movie was released.
What is the true story behind'Green Book'?
'Green Book' stars explain movie, real lives behind story. The upcoming movie, "Green Book," tells the tale of two men who are forced to become friends during their journey on a concert tour in the racist, Jim Crow-era South.
Is Mahershala Ali in ‘Green Book’?
Viggo Mortensen (left) and Mahershala Ali both had substantial screen time in “Green Book.” Photo: Patti Perret / Universal Pictures Hi Mick: Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali are superb in “Green Book.”
Is Viggo Mortensen the Best Actor in ‘Green Book’?
In the case of “Green Book,” Mortensen is being positioned for best actor and Ali for supporting. It’s close, but that feels right. It’s slightly more Tony’s story than Dr. Shirley’s.
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Who is the leading actor in Green Book?
Viggo MortensenIn “Green Book,” Viggo Mortensen plays an Italian-American driver tasked with escorting and protecting concert pianist Dr. Don Shirley, played by Oscar winner Mahershala Ali. The latter won Best Supporting Actor for the film, while Mortensen was nominated for, but lost, the Best Actor prize.
Who are the two main characters in the Green Book?
Green Book is about the relationship between two real-life people: Donald Shirley and Tony “Lip” Vallelonga.
Who plays the driver in the Green Book?
Tony Lip, Green Book Driver, Appeared in Goodfellas, Godfather, Sopranos.
Is Dr Shirley a real person?
Donald Walbridge Shirley (January 29, 1927 – April 6, 2013) was an American classical and jazz pianist and composer....Don ShirleyBornDonald Walbridge ShirleyJanuary 29, 1927 Pensacola, Florida, U.S.DiedApril 6, 2013 (aged 86) Manhattan, New York, U.S.10 more rows
Who is villain in Green Book?
Despite being invited to perform at elite venues for wealthy white patrons, Dr. Shirley still faces phenomenal racism and prejudice on his eight-week trip through the Midwest and Deep South. That includes sometimes from his own driver and bodyguard Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga.
What is the message of Green Book movie?
Nobody likes to be subject to a general assumption. Avoid assuming, instead ask direct questions to individuals. 3- Act together: When Tony saw unacceptable behaviour to his boss Don from others, he always defended him and became an ally.
Who is the real Tony Lip?
Frank Anthony VallelongaTony Lip (born Frank Anthony Vallelonga) was raised in the Bronx, New York. He worked for twelve years at the world-famous Copacabana Nightclub in New York City. At the Copa, he played host to the most famous personalities of the era, including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Bobby Darin.
Is Tony Lip alive?
January 4, 2013Tony Lip / Date of death
Is Green Book based on a true story?
Starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, the film is inspired by the true story of a 1962 tour of the Deep South by African-American pianist Don Shirley and Italian-American bouncer and later actor Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga, who served as Shirley's driver and bodyguard.
Who inherited Don Shirley's estate?
Michiel KappeyneWhen Don Shirley passed away in 2013 he left his entire estate - worth somewhere between $500,000 and $1,000,000 to one man - Michiel Kappeyne, who was also named executor of his will.
What happened at the YMCA in Green Book?
About halfway through the film, Shirley is arrested at a Y.M.C.A. in Memphis. The police have caught him having sex with a man we have never seen before and do not see or hear from again.
Was Dr Don Shirley married?
Shirley valued his career over his personal life Shirley was married, to Jean C. Hill, but the two divorced. In the interview below, Shirley said he chose music and his career over his marriage.
Green Book
From the screenplay: Yeah. Cover had a bunch of kids sitting around a campfire?
Was Tony honest about his treatment of African Americans with Dr. Shirley?
No, when Don asks Tony if he would have any trouble working for a black man, Tony tells him that he and his wife had a few "colored guys" over to h...
What message does the "Green Book" tell us?
The film examines the history of racial prejudice in America, showing the ways that institutions and people can think they are progressive when the...
Is the Philadelphia story a departure from the Holiday movie?
Hi Mick: I agree with your assessment of “The Philadelphia Story.” It’s an interesting departure from an earlier film, “Holiday” (1938), in which Katharine Hepburn also plays a strong and independent woman but is celebrated for it. What happened in between? The studio? Box office?
Was the Philadelphia Story sexist?
Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant in “The Philadelphia Story,” a profoundly sexist movie. Photo: MGM 1940
What is the movie Green Book named after?
The film is named after The Negro Motorist Green Book , a mid-20th century guidebook for African-American travelers written by Victor Hugo Green . Green Book had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2018, where it won the People's Choice Award.
What is the rating of Green Book?
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 77% based on 358 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads: " Green Book takes audiences on an excessively smooth ride through bumpy subject matter, although Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen's performances add necessary depth." On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 69 out of 100, based on 52 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it a 91% positive score, with 80% saying they would definitely recommend it.
How did Green Book perpetuate racial stereotyping?
Some critics thought Green Book perpetuated racial stereotyping by advancing the white savior narrative in film . Salon said the film combines "the white savior trope with the story of a bigot's redemption". Peter Farrelly told Entertainment Weekly that he was aware of the white savior trope before filming and sought to avoid it. He said he had long discussions with the actors and producers on the point, and believes that it was not advanced by the film, saying it is "about two guys who were complete opposites and found a common ground, and it's not one guy saving the other. It's both saving each other and pulling each other into some place where they could bond and form a lifetime friendship."
Why did Don Shirley's family condemn the movie Lost Bohemia?
Despite some praise, Shirley's relatives condemned the film because they thought it misrepresented the pianist's relationship with his family and they were not contacted by studio representatives until after development started. Shirley's brother, Maurice Shirley, said, "My brother never considered Tony to be his 'friend'; he was an employee, his chauffeur (who resented wearing a uniform and cap). This is why context and nuance are so important. The fact that a successful, well-to-do black artist would employ domestics that did NOT look like him, should not be lost in translation." However, his brother's statements are contradicted by audio recordings from the 2010 documentary "Lost Bohemia" which featured interviews with Don Shirley and Vallelonga. In one of them, Shirley said that "I trusted him implicitly. You see, Tony got to be, not only was he my driver. We never had an employer/employee relationship". The interviews also supported other events depicted in the film.
How many Golden Globe nominations did Green Book have?
Green Book had five nominations at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, with the film winning Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. The National Board of Review awarded it Best Film, and it was also recognized as one of the Top 10 films of the year by the American Film Institute .
How much did Green Book make?
Box office. Green Book grossed $85.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $236.7 million in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $321.8 million, against a production budget of $23 million. Deadline Hollywood calculated the net profit of the film to be $106 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues.
Why is the movie "The White Savior" criticized?
Concerns about depiction of race. The film has been criticized for advancing a white savior narrative in film that perpetuates stereotypes. Salon said the film combines "the white savior trope with the story of a bigot's redemption".
Who is the actor in the Green Book?
Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali in "Green Book." Universal Studios
What is the movie Green Book about?
The upcoming movie, "Green Book," tells the tale of two men who are forced to become friends during their journey on a concert tour in the racist, Jim Crow-era South.
What book did Shirley and Lip use to find safe places to stay?
While Shirley and Lip traveled, they had to rely on the Green Book , which listed hotels, restaurants and even gas stations that were safe for black people.
What was Gloria Gardner's Green Book?
The book helped Gardner's family safely navigate their road trip from Michigan to Louisiana. "The green book was our survivor guide, " Gardner explains.
Who plays Tony Lip in Green Book?
Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali in "Green Book.". Universal Studios. Academy Award nominee Viggo Mortensen plays Tony Lip in the film and said the message of the film will resonate with many.
Who plays Don Shirley?
For Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali, who plays Don Shirley, the story's message is as relevant now as it was decades ago.
What is Vallelonga's hope for the movie?
Vallelonga hopes the movie will inspire audiences to learn more about this book, a once vital guide for black travelers.
Viggo Mortensen Tony Vallelonga
Viggo Mortensen is an American actor who has been nominated for three Academy Awards. His first film was the Woody Allen film The Purple Rose of Cairo in 1985, but his scenes were deleted before the movie was released. He then landed a role as an Amish man in Peter Weir's Witness.
Mahershala Ali Don Shirley
Mahershala Ali is an American actor and two-time Academy Award winner. After graduating from the graduate acting program at New York University, Ali got his start in television, before breaking into film with David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and earning widespread recognition for his role on the television show House of Cards.
Linda Cardellini Dolores Vallelonga
Linda Cardellini is an American actress who has been nominated for an Emmy Award as well as an Independent Spirit Award. She is perhaps best known for her work in television, first playing the teenage misfit Lindsay Weir on Freaks and Geeks, then Samantha Taggart on ER. She is also known for roles in Bloodline, and Mad Men.
Sebastian Maniscalco Johnny Venere
Sebastian Maniscalco is an American actor and comedian who got his start in standup. Green Book is his first film. His next film will be Martin Scorsese's The Irishman.
Iqbal Theba Amit
Iqbal Theda is a Pakistani-American actor, best known for his television work on television shows like Married...with Children, ER, Alias, Nip/Tuck, Two and a Half Men, Roseanne, Arrested Development, The West Wing, Friends, Sister Sister, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Community, and Glee, for which he is widely recognizable for his role as Principal Figgins..
Dimiter D. Marinov Oleg
Dimiter Marinov is a Bulgarian-American actor, and was the first Bulgian to appear on the red carpet at the Academy Awards.
Who is the actor in the Green Book?
The true history that inspired Peter Farrelly’s Green Book, starring Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen. Save this story for later. Courtesy of Universal Pictures.
Who played piano in Green Book?
Don Shirley plays piano in an artist's studio above Carnegie Hall in New York, 1960; Mahershala Ali in Green Book.Left, by Alfred Eisenstaedt/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images; right, courtesy of Universal Pictures. Following the events of Green Book, Shirley went on to play Carnegie Hall in 1971 and in, 1974, ...
What orchestra did Shirley play in?
Following the events of Green Book, Shirley went on to play Carnegie Hall in 1971 and in, 1974, presented an orchestral homage to Duke Ellington, “Divertimento for Duke by Don,” with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Why was the Negro Motorist Green Book made?
Green had compiled The Negro Motorist Green Book —from which the film gets its name—to help travelers find hotels, restaurants, and gas stations deemed safe for black people.
What happened to Nat King Cole in 1956?
In 1956, Nat King Cole was performing in his home state of Alabama when he was attacked onstage by members of the Ku Klux Klan, who had been waiting in the all-white audience of 4,000. By that time, Cole had sold millions of records and was slated to become the first black man to host a nationally televised variety program later that year.
Who is Shirley Kimble's niece?
Shirley’s own niece Carol Shirley Kimble has disowned the project as “a depiction of a white man’s version of a Black man’s life.”. She told Shadow and Act: “My uncle was an incredibly proud man and an incredibly accomplished man, as are the majority of people in my family.
Is Shirley's story in the Green Book?
Nearly 20 years later, Green Book gives mass audiences a version of Shirley’s story— though much of his personal life, including his romantic history, remains a mystery, and is only lightly touched upon in the film.
Who is Don Shirley?
Don Shirley is a snobbish, polite, and mild-mannered concert pianist. While he does not appreciate Vallelonga's more exuberant and loud-mouthed affects at first, he comes to appreciate them in time as the two become closer. Indeed, Don is often put off by Vallelonga's attitude and finds him coarse and impolite.
Who is Tony's wife?
Dolores Vallelonga. Dolores is Tony's wife, who worries about the well-being of her family and agrees that Tony should go on the road as a chauffeur and bodyguard, even though it will be mean he'll be away for a long time.

Overview
Production
Viggo Mortensen began negotiations to star in the film in May 2017 and was required to gain 40–50 pounds (18–23 kg) for the role. Peter Farrelly was set to direct from a screenplay written by Nick Vallelonga (Tony Lip's son), Brian Currie, and himself.
On November 30, 2017, the lead cast was set with Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, L…
Plot
In the Bronx in 1962, Italian-American bouncer Tony Lip searches for new employment while the Copacabana is closed for renovations. He is invited to an interview with Dr. Don Shirley, an African-American pianist in need of a driver for his eight-week concert tour through the Midwest and Deep South. Don hires Tony on the strength of his references. They embark with plans to return to New York City on Christmas Eve. Don's record label gives Tony a copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book, …
Cast
• Viggo Mortensen as Tony Lip
• Mahershala Ali as Dr. Don Shirley
• Linda Cardellini as Dolores, Tony's wife
• Sebastian Maniscalco as Johnny Venere, Dolores' brother
Release
Green Book began a limited release in the United States, in 20 cities, on November 16, 2018, and expanded nationwide on November 21, 2018. The film was previously scheduled to begin its release on the 21st. The studio spent an estimated $37.5 million on prints and advertisements for the film.
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2018…
Reception
Green Book grossed $85.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $236.7 million in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $321.8 million, against a production budget of $23 million. Deadline Hollywood calculated the net profit of the film to be $106 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues.
Awards and nominations
Green Book has received numerous award nominations. In addition to winning the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2018, Green Book was nominated for five awards at the 91st Academy Awards, winning three awards for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali. Green Book was the fifth film to win Best Picture without a Best Director nomination. Green Book had five nominations at the 76th Golden …
See also
• Jim Crow laws
• List of black films of the 2010s