Bruce Springsteen's "My City of Ruins" could have been the soundtrack for Johnny Cannizzaro during the turn of the century.
The Brooklyn born actor, who studied theater at Brookdale Community College, was a regular at the Stone Pony and frequented the boardwalk.
Cannizzaro, who regularly made the drive from his Holmdel home, loved the scene even though it was gritty. "I had so much fun in Asbury Park back in the day but it wasn't the safest place back then," Cannizzaro said while calling from his Bay Ridge, Brooklyn apartment. "I still loved the Pony and I did a bunch of local theater in the Asbury Park area. It was rough back then. But now look at it. It's had quite a resurgence."
Cannizzaro left Central Jersey for Los Angeles in 2005 to pursue an acting career.
Nearly 20-years after betting on himself as a thespian, Cannizzaro returned to his shore playground to work on the acclaimed film "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere," which hit screens in 2025. Cannizzaro came back to portray The Boss' consigliere Steven Van Zandt.
"That was so cool for so many reasons," Cannizzaro said. "I remember whenever a movie was shot around us in New Jersey I would be there and my eyes would be wide as can be. I was always fascinated with how movies are made and this time I was on the other side of the barricade. It was so cool my family could be there and I could share it with them."
Cannizzaro nails it playing the musician-actor, who would later earn acclaim as "The Sopranos' Silvio Dante. When Cannizzaro was cast, he immediately contacted playwright Billy Van Zandt since the two worked together at Brookdale."I was a stagehand at Brookdale for his shows," Cannizzaro said. "I reached out to him and said, 'Billy, you're not going to believe this but I'm going to play your brother in this Bruce Springsteen movie."
Billy Van Zandt connected Cannizzaro with his famous sibling. "I wanted to do justice to the character," Cannizzaro said. "So it helped immensley when I met up with Stevie. We had breakfast one morning and he was fantastic. He was open. He let me ask him anything. It was great just being around someone who has such love for all things creative. It was really special having that meeting."
The experience rose exponentially when shooting started in November of 2024. Cannizzaro stressed how nice Jeremy Alan White, who portrayed Springsteen and the Boss himself was on the set.
"On the very first day Jeremy Alan White made a beeline for me and put his arm around me and immediately captured that whole Bruce and Stevie vibe," Cannizzaro said. "I was impressed. Some actors can be a little snobby but not Jeremy. I really appreciated that. Bruce was on the set every day I was there and he sat there in his director's chair next to the director (Scott Cooper) and he was just giving his thoughts and being as helpful as possible. He was so cool. What's not to like about Bruce Springsteen?"
The highlight was stepping on the Stone Pony stage recreating the E Street Band experience with White. "They brought out the Stone Pony banner from the archives, which was amazing," Cannizzaro said. "It was so much fun to get up on thet Stone Pony stage. It brought back so many memories."
Prior to working on "Deliver Me From Nowhere," Cannizzaro was a casual Springsteen fan. "I wasn't a diehard," Cannizzaro said. "I didn't know 'Nebraska." Now that I do know it, I love that album. I am now a hardcore Springsteen fan. Bruce is amazing. I can't express how much I loved working on that film."
Cannizzaro enjoyed working on another production that is also a period piece based on actual events. Cannizzaro starred in the Off-Broadway production of "Recovery," which harks back to the dark days following 9/11.
The play is set at Ground Zero on Christmas Eve, 2001. Cannizzaro portrays FDNY Lieutenant Leo Camp, who obsessively digs through the rubble of the World Trade Center searching for the remains of his late brother, a fallen New York police officer. It's the heaviest role Cannizzaro has played and it takes him back to where he was on 9-11.
"I was at class at Brookdale when 9-11 happened," Cannizzaro said. "Our teacher came into the class and nobody had any idea what was going on. She looked like she saw a ghost. She said, 'Everyone needs to go home. You need to be with your families immediately. Our nation is under attack. That memory is seared into my brain. I had no idea what she was talking about until I made it home. It was one of the strangest days. That all came back to me when this play came up. This play is incredibly powerful. It was part of a festival that showcases the work of playwrights. The hope is that it will be developed further. I love the role. I get to play every emotion possible."
Cannizzaro credits the training he had at Brookdale for his acting foundation. "I knew when I was there that this is the career that I have a passion for," Cannizzaro said. "It all started there for this Jersey boy."
Cannizzaro is a Jersey boy in more ways than one. His film feature debut was in "Jersey Boys." Cannizzaro portrayed Nick DeVito, an early member of The Four Seasons. "Being cast by (director) Clint Eastwood for 'Jersey Boys' is so special," Cannizzaro said. "It was an incredible experience. When I got that part (in 2014), I remember thinking, 'My ten years in Los Angeles weren't in vain."
After "Jersey Boys" Cannizzaro worked with the late Anthony Geary of "General Hospital" fame in "The Obituary." "That was a little intimidating at first but Tony was a sweetheart," Cannizzaro said. "He was unbelievable. I've experienced so much as an actor."
Next up for Cannizzaro, who splits his time between New York and Los Angeles, is a horror film in which he has the lead. "I'm trying to stay busy," Cannizzaro said. "I love what I do."
The "Deliver Me From Nowhere" experience rekindled Cannizzaro's love of Asbury Park, which is just an hour from his Bay Ridge apartment.
"Asbury Park is an amazing place," Cannizzaro said. "I remember what it was like before they knocked down the Palace amusements. I remember when I came back it was shocking to see they aren't around anymore and now there are all of these condos. It's so clean and nice. Asbury Park is the place to be right now."
I had so much fun in Asbury Park back in the day but it wasn't the safest place back then. But now look at it. It's had quite a resurgence."
Bruce was on the set every day and he was just giving his thoughts and being as helpful as possible. He was so cool.