Pete Davidson has surprised fans with an incredible transformation for his upcoming crime thriller Tommy Karate, where he plays one of the most feared mobsters in American history. The first official image from the film has been released, and the former Saturday Night Live star looks almost impossible to recognize. Wearing a thick wig, heavy facial makeup, and prosthetics, Davidson has completely changed his appearance to become Tommy Pitera, a notorious mafia enforcer. The movie is currently being filmed in Atlanta and is already creating a lot of excitement among crime drama fans because of Davidson’s shocking new look.
Tommy Karate is based on the true story told in Philip Carlo’s bestselling book The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath. The film follows the life of Tommy Pitera, a ruthless member of the Bonanno crime family who became known for his violent crimes. Pitera earned the nickname “Tommy Karate” because of his martial arts training. Before he was arrested in 1992, investigators believed he may have been involved in as many as 60 murders. He was eventually found guilty of six murders, along with running a drug operation, and was sentenced to life in prison. Instead of only focusing on his crimes, the film also tells the story of the determined investigation that led to his arrest.
Paul Walter Hauser stars as DEA Agent Jim Hunt, the officer who spent years tracking Pitera before finally bringing him to justice. The cast also includes Camila Mendes and Simon Rex in important roles. The film is directed by Justin Chon, who also co wrote the screenplay with Pete Davidson and Joseph Gay. Davidson is not only playing the lead role but is also serving as one of the producers, making this one of the biggest projects of his career so far.
Speaking about the film earlier this year, Davidson shared that he had been developing Tommy Karate for more than three years and described it as a dream project. He called it one of the greatest untold mafia stories and said he was excited for audiences to finally see it on the big screen. Director Justin Chon also explained that the team wants to present a fresh take on the gangster genre by focusing on strong characters, modern storytelling, and the real consequences of crime instead of relying on old mafia movie formulas.
Although Pete Davidson first became famous as a comedian on Saturday Night Live, he has steadily built a successful acting career with films such as The King of Staten Island, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and The Dirt. Even so, Davidson has admitted that acting in serious roles can still feel uncomfortable. In a previous interview, he joked that his background in stand up comedy often makes it difficult to stay serious during emotional scenes because he ends up laughing after only a few takes. With Tommy Karate, however, Davidson appears ready to prove he can take on one of the darkest and most challenging roles of his career.