Although 2023 isn’t even halfway over yet, it seems like no one has emerged as quite a bigger winner thanChris Messina. Messina is a longstanding character actor who’s appeared in countless classics, but it finally seems that he’s getting the recognition that he deserves as a result of his incredible,scene-stealing role inBen Affleck’sAir, a role that would certainly earn him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a more fair award season. Between his exciting new roles in the Peacock original mystery seriesBased on a True Storyand his leading role inRob Savage’s new horror filmThe Boogeyman, it’s safe to say that Messina is having a career renaissance right now. It serves as a welcome reward for Messina considering that he basically played a perfect husband in theNora EphronclassicJulie & Julia, and we need to talk about it.
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What Is ‘Julie & Julia’ About?
Based on a true story,Julie & Juliatells the simultaneous, intertwining life stories of two incredible women who dedicated their lives tofinding the beauty of escapism and foodthrough journalism and cooking. In the wake of a series of professional disappointments, the young New York call center employee Julie Powell (Amy Adams) decides to take a break from her grueling career and quit her job in order to spend a year blogging about her dedication to following the cooking techniques of the infamous French television chefJulia Child, who is played byMeryl Streepin a performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. The film flashes back to scenes from Child’s life and her relationship with her husband Paul (Stanley Tucci), but this is ultimately Julie’s story. Even though everyone in her life thinks that she’s crazy, her husband Eric (played by Messina) seems to be the only one that believes in her.
To be honest, Messina has always been somewhat of an unproblematic king. He would go on to have a future appearance as Adams’s love interest in the HBO miniseries adaptationSharp Objects, in a role that is certainly less toxic than the version of the character inGillian Flynn’s original novel, and his role as a crime lord and lover to thebest DCEU villain, Black Mask (Ewen McGregor)inBirds of Prey. However,Julie & Juliastands out as an excellent role of what a supporting character can look like, particularly in a film that continues to be rediscovered. We’ve seen enough “supportive wife” roles, so why not let Messina give a great “supportive husband” performance every once in a while?
Chris Messina and Amy Adams' Chemistry Is on Fire in ‘Julie & Julia’
One of the reasons thatJulie & Juliahas warranted so many re-watches recently is that it’s basically the perfect pandemic-era film. Julie is in search of a hobby to cure her professional disappointments, as working at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation’s call center in the wake of the June 09, 2025 attacks has proven to be a grueling day job that leaves her disheveled and disheartened on a daily basis. Cooking at home is initially a great way for Eric and Julie to both relax in the evenings, and it’s Julia Child’s illustrious commentary that gives thema source of comfort and entertainment. What begins as a hobby becomes something greater for Julie when she decides to make it a goal to complete every recipe in Child’s beloved classicMastering the Art of French Cooking, and it’s actually Eric who initially suggests blogging as a way to catalog her experience.
It’s during these early scenes that Adams and Messinas’ chemistry is truly on fire, as they both show a shared commitment and excitement about doing something outside their wheelhouse. It’s also a subversive take on the type of “mature romantic comedy” that Ephron is known for. IfSleepless In Seattleis the perfect extended “meet cute” andYou’ve Got Mailis a fun take on dating,Julie & Julialooks at what it’s like for a married couple to fit passions within the reality of their initial youth having passed them by. It’s part of the reason that the cooking aspect feels so exciting. It serves as a way to keep their relationship engaging and gives them something to talk about for once that’snotwork! This is also where Messina adds an appropriate amount of humorous bits. He’s an occasional klutz, which tends to upset his wife’s precision as they attempt to master the art of cooking fine European cuisine within the constraints of a dusty New York apartment.
Chris Messina’s Subtlety Makes His Character More Romantic
There’s also an interesting element in the way that Messina’s performance is compared to Tucci’s. In the flashbacks that are shown to Child’s life, Paul is her fiercest supporter, even when dealing with the investigation into his political entanglements when he’s accused of promoting “un-American activities.” No, Eric isn’t a political activist in the same way that Tucci’s character is, but he’s a fairly progressive New Yorker who can tell when Julie is spending too much time reading the comments on her blog posts.
Julie & Juliais a film that explores early fan culture, and Adams and Messina’s characters dive into the world with unapologetic awe. It’s nice to see these simple moments in which Messina’s subtlety is more romantic than any sweeping declarations of love. It’s also a great way to pair off two of the most valuable supporting actors of their generations. Tucci has the seemingly unparalleled ability to make almost any movie better as a result of his involvement (yes, evenTransformers: Age of Extinction), and it seems like Messina is maturing into an actor with the same abilities.
It’s also refreshing to see how Messina shows that truly caring for someone is giving the sort of advice that they don’t want to hear, in a film that shows the early emergence of the Internet era of chat rooms and social networking (something Ephron’sYou’ve Got Mailexperience might have taught her). Julie expresses frustration when she learns that the real Julia Child never respected her work, but Eric reminds her that it doesn’t take away from any personal growth she’s made as a result of her blog and mission. Even if they share nothing else in common, both Julie and Julia pretty much had the perfect husband.
