By Valerie Milano
Hollywood, CA (The Hollywood Times) 6/23/25 – After decades of supporting roles in some of the most respected film and television projects of the last 30 years, Bonnie Rose has stepped into the spotlight with two stunning performances that have audiences and critics alike taking notice. With Living with Grandma and My Kind of People both hitting the festival circuit this June—and a World Film Festival in Cannes Best Actress win now under her belt—Rose is having a long-overdue moment that feels both triumphant and refreshingly grounded.
Her recent accolades are not a late-career surprise—they’re a spotlight finally catching up to a woman whose career has quietly shaped some of Hollywood’s most memorable moments.
In Finise Avery’s tender short film Living with Grandma, Rose delivers a deeply human performance as a woman navigating the emotional terrain of caregiving, family legacy, and unspoken generational bonds. It’s the kind of role that demands restraint, vulnerability, and precision—all of which Rose delivers in spades.
Opposite Charlie Solis, Rose crafts a dynamic that feels lived-in, textured with quiet grief and humor. The film is as intimate as a whisper, and yet Rose’s presence resonates with the emotional weight of a full-length drama. Her Best Actress win at the 2025 World Film Festival in Cannes is a testament to just how affecting and timeless her performance is.
Then comes My Kind of People, directed by Joe Picozzi and premiering at Dances With Films LA. The film, winner of the 2024 Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum, is a love letter to cultural identity and the unsung heroes who bind communities together. Rose plays a neighborhood matriarch whose quiet strength and sharp wit become the emotional heartbeat of the film.
In contrast to the solitude of Living with Grandma, Rose’s role here is loud in its warmth and leadership. She carries the weight of tradition while bridging the generational divide, embodying both resilience and tenderness. Picozzi’s script gives her space to stretch, and Rose responds with a performance full of humor, authenticity, and understated power.
Bonnie Rose’s career has long been a mosaic of New York grit and versatility. She began as a stand-in for Bette Midler in The First Wives Club, then earned her first major film role in Sidney Lumet’s Night Falls on Manhattan. Over the years, she’s worked with an extraordinary roster of talent—Andy Garcia, Alan Arkin, Oscar Isaac, Ethan and Joel Coen, Rami Malek—and appeared in everything from The Sopranos to Jessica Jones to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, where her delivery of the now-famous “PASTRAMI” line became a viral fan favorite.
Now, with Tow—a high-profile feature which premiered at Tribeca this June where she shares the screen with Rose Byrne, Octavia Spencer, and Ariana DeBose—it’s clear that Bonnie Rose is entering the strongest chapter of her career yet.
As she celebrates this breakthrough year, we sat down with Bonnie Rose to talk about her long journey in the industry, the making of Living with Grandma and My Kind of People, and what it feels like to finally be recognized after decades of transformative work.
Click below for our exclusive interview:
Catch Bonnie Rose This Summer:
- Dances With Films LA (My Kind of People) – June 24
- Roosevelt Island Film Festival (Living with Grandma) – June 28
