That’s amore

The summer of 2018 at the movies might be best remembered as the year that helped reboot the rom-com genre. But for Little Italy star Emma Roberts, rom-coms never went away.

“For me, they’ve always been around,” she says during in an interview in a downtown Toronto hotel. “I’ve had My Best Friend’s Wedding and Notting Hill on repeat since I was seven. Rom-coms make me so happy.”

In the film, which opens today, Roberts, 27, plays Nikki, a Cordon Bleu chef freshly returned to Toronto from England. She’s back in her parents’ pizzeria — Sal’s Pizza — and before she knows it, Nikki is rekindling her childhood crush with Leo (Hayden Christiansen). The only hitch? Nikki and Leo’s dads, once in business together, operate competing restaurants.

Directed by Donald Petrie (Mystic Pizza, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) from a script by Vinay Virmani and Steve Galluccio, the film also features Jane Seymour, Andrea Martin, Danny Aiello, Alyssa Milano, Linda Kash, Adam Ferrara, Gary Basaraba and Kim’s Convenience star Andrew Phung.

Just like all great romcoms everything works out, but it’s the getting-tothe-happily-ever-after that made Little Italy such a thrill.

Before the film’s world premiere in Toronto this week, Roberts spoke about her subtle tribute to her aunt Julia, her love affair with the city and what’s on the menu when she has to cook.

Q Your director on Little Italy, Donald Petrie, worked with your aunt Julia Roberts in Mystic Pizza 30 years ago. What was that like?

A It was totally amazing. It was fun because we got to throw in a couple of little winks to Mystic Pizza. In Little Italy, I wear a new version of the shirt my aunt wore in Mystic Pizza.

Q You’re a pretty good cook in the movie, but how are you in the kitchen in real life?

A I am not a good cook. I’ve been known to store sweaters in my oven (laughs). But I just got a new book called Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking and it’s all about learning to cook and learning to cook without a recipe. That is something I want to learn to do.

Q You eat a lot of Italian food in this movie. What’s your favourite Italian dish?

A Penne alla vodka. I love a pink sauce.

Q The film is a love letter to Toronto. Did you find yourself falling in love with the city?

A I love Toronto — and I’m not just saying that. My best friend came up here while I was shooting and we had the best time eating, shopping, sitting in the park, reading and just walking around.

Q What were your favourite parts of the city?

A I fell in love with Type Books across from Trinity Bellwoods Park. I loved to eat at Bar Buca and Gusto 101. And I ate so much pizza.