Being in a bad movie is generally not a defining moment in an actor’s life. They might get bad reviews or, better yet, ignored completely. Most of the time, people simply forget and move on.
That couldn’t be further from the truth for Greg Sestero, who starred in The Room, widely considered to be the worst movie ever made — “the Citizen Kane of bad movies,” according to one critic.
The Room gained a cult following after its release in 2003, in part because of its “so bad it’s good” appeal, but also because of Tommy Wiseau, the mastermind behind it all. The enigmatic figure wrote, directed, produced and starred in the movie as Johnny.
I'd say The Room is something that's going to change your view on the cinematic experience.Greg Sestero
Sestero, in addition to serving as Wiseau’s assistant on set, portrayed Johnny’s best friend Mark. Oh, hi Mark.
The plot, as far as it can be understood, is set in San Francisco and involves a love triangle between the two besties and Johnny’s fiancée Lisa, who, you might have heard, is tearing him apart. The rest of the story is not so important, but adds to the inexplicable nature that defines The Room.
From melodramatic dialogue to excessively long and awkward sex scenes to Mark hanging out on the roof to Johnny yelling at Mark on the roof to Mark holding a football on the roof to framed photographs of spoons, The Room is a film that is better experienced than described.
“I'd say The Room is something that's going to change your view on the cinematic experience,” Sestero said. “To me, it's as if an alien came down from outer space, studied soap operas for a week and then went back to its planet and made a movie based on similar interactions from their point of view. That would be The Room.”
Now, over two decades later, The Room continues to amass a sizable and passionate fanbase from around the world. Every year, fans partake in watch parties and special screenings hosted at local theaters.
Much like the fan interaction seen at midnight movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Room comes with its own set of hijinks. Objects get thrown (mostly plastic spoons), attendees shout at the screen and some even stage walkouts in mock protest.
The cult craze of The Room hits Iowa this week, with Sestero set to appear in person at screenings in Davenport and Des Moines. He will first stop by The Last Picture House Thursday, Dec. 5 for two screenings and a Q&A, followed by a stop at The Fleur Cinema & Café for a weekend of events.
At Fleur, Sestero will introduce the classic film noir Sunset Boulevard Friday, Dec. 6, and will then host a double feature Dec. 7. That night, The Room will screen alongside Big Shark, Wiseau’s newest movie. Finally, Sestero will provide live commentary for a Sunday matinee screening of The Room, as well as a Q&A.
What a story, Mark
Lately, Sestero has been traveling the world for screenings of The Room, even going as far as Russia, where he said crowds love the experience.
“There's a lot of cheering, a lot of interaction, a lot of laughter,” he recalled. “It definitely doesn't need subtitles.”
Sometimes he is joined by Wiseau, but usually he’s solo. It wasn’t until recently that Sestero fully embraced the experience he had on set and what it meant for him and so many others.
“Well, it's really been this past year that I've come to appreciate The Room because, for so long, you don't really know what it is,” he said. “People are saying it's the worst movie, and, you know, you're trying to navigate what that means for you and the work you want to do. But I think, in the past year, I've really learned that a movie that screens and affects people for 20 years can't be that bad.”
Sestero said he marvels at the fact that The Room has made a lasting impact on audiences. At one screening, a couple told him they were married because of the movie — they watched it on their first date.
The Disaster Artist
The Room has had an enduring impact on Sestero, too, beyond attending fan events. In 2013, he wrote a book with Tom Bissell about his friendship with Wiseau and the saga of making the infamous film. Four years later, that book was turned into a movie by James Franco, fittingly titled The Disaster Artist.
Sestero said the film adaptation of his memoir introduced a whole new generation of fans to The Room.
There’s way more to Tommy than I think most people realize.Greg Sestero
“You saw people that didn't know what The Room was that were enamored with the story and would seek out The Room,” he recalled. “And you're seeing it to this day. There are so many people that come to screenings that have seen The Disaster Artist on Netflix. They've seen it on Max, and they want to see The Room for the first time. So we had a really big crossover of interest when The Disaster Artist came out.”
The Disaster Artist was nominated for an Academy Award and two Golden Globes. Franco ultimately took home the Best Actor award at the Globes for his portrayal of Wiseau, who joined him on stage for his acceptance speech. It’s a moment Sestero remembers well because, in his eyes, it meant a lot to his friend.
“There's way more to Tommy than I think most people realize,” Sestero said. “He wants to be accepted as a legitimate filmmaker. When The Disaster Artist was nominated, it was very important to him to be at the awards show. It means a lot to be accepted, and I think that's something that still is important to him.”
But after that?
Between globe-trotting to and from screenings of The Room, Sestero keeps busy with his own projects. He's currently working on a sci-fi film called Forbidden Sky, which is about UFO sightings in Roswell, N.M. He’s also writing a graphic novel that has been in the works for quite some time.
“When I was 12 years old, I wrote a script for a sequel to Home Alone called Home Alone: Lost in Disney World, and I'm developing an animated book based on that screenplay,” he said.
Both the film and the book are expected to be released by the end of 2025.
Despite being decades removed from the experience, Sestero said his time on set with Wiseau taught him some valuable lessons that he uses as a filmmaker today.
“When you start out making movies, your goal is to bring good times and entertainment to people,” he said. “And what's so cool is The Room has done that, and I’ve learned so much, really, about the movie experience through The Room.”
A Hollywood story
For Sestero, a major source of inspiration is Billy Wilder’s classic film Sunset Boulevard, which he’s introducing as part of The Fleur Cinema’s “Films that Inspire Me” series.
The film is famous for its opening scene depicting a dead man floating in a swimming pool. It’s a striking image that connected with Sestero when he was a young actor. He saw what the Hollywood machine can do, how it chews up talent and spits them out without any regard.
“It was a movie that, when I saw it for the first time, I knew I wanted to tell my story of going to Hollywood and having such an insane experience,” he said.
But Wilder’s cynical look on Hollywood offered Sestero a glimmer of light: friendship.
“There's a line that Joe Gillis says to Norma Desmond. He says, ‘You're the only one in this town that has been good to me,’” Sestero recalled. “I thought that was very powerful because I felt a lot of that towards Tommy. Even through the madness and through everything else, you're trying to find someone to believe in you. And even at your lowest point, when someone does give you a chance, you're so grateful. So I saw a lot of myself in the survival of creativity.”
To quote Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard, Sestero is ready for his next close-up — even as he continues to make his mark with The Room.
