Diamanti Grezzi 2019 May 2026

: To ensure realism, the directors used many first-time actors cast right off the street or from the Diamond District. This includes Julia Fox , who made her acting debut as Howard's mistress, and Maksud Agadjani , a real jeweler who played Howard's assistant.

Watch how the Safdie brothers and their cast brought this intense world to life through meticulous research and authentic casting: Diamanti grezzi 2019

: During a kidnapping scene, the first-time actors beating up Sandler accidentally choked him. Because Sandler was so "in character," they didn't realize he was actually tapping out until the stunt coordinator intervened. : To ensure realism, the directors used many

: The basketball game Howard bets on—the Celtics vs. 76ers in May 2012—is real. The Safdies chose it because Kevin Garnett had an incredible performance that aligned perfectly with their script. Production Grit Because Sandler was so "in character," they didn't

: The Safdie brothers first approached Adam Sandler in 2012, but his team rejected the script. They then considered Sacha Baron Cohen and Harvey Keitel .

: The role of the basketball star was originally written with Kobe Bryant in mind, but he was only interested in directing. Joel Embiid was also cast, but had to drop out when filming moved into the actual NBA season. Authentic New York Details

: The film is loosely based on the Safdies' father, who worked as a runner in the Manhattan Diamond District for a man actually named Howard.