In the latest episode of Pizza Film School Season 3, the Russo Brothers sit down with Chris Castaldi, their longtime first assistant director (1st AD) and producer, who has been the logistical mastermind behind some of the biggest films of all time—including Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, The Gray Man, and The Electric State.

Over slices from De La Nonna in Downtown LA, the Russos and Castaldi swap war stories from the set, breaking down how he went from a server at Gladstones in Malibu to one of the most sought-after 1st ADs in Hollywood. They cover managing massive productions, handling A-list actors, pulling off the most expensive shot in movie history, and why he once had to chase down actors across the country just to collect their autographs.

‍

From Serving Tables to Running Hollywood’s Biggest Sets

Castaldi’s career started with a bold move—and an extremely risky one. While working as a host at Gladstones, he saw Ron Howard’s name on the reservation list. Instead of just seating him, Castaldi called Imagine Entertainment, got connected to Howard’s assistant, and pretended to be the restaurant manager. The next morning, he personally set up Howard’s table, went out of his way to make the experience memorable, and—when Howard finally thanked him—handed over his resume on the spot.

“Ron asked, ‘Can you get out of this job?’ And I said, ‘I’ve been talking to you for 20 minutes—I think I’m already fired.’”

‍

Two days later, he was working on EdTV. That boldness set him on a path through some of Hollywood’s biggest productions, from Pirates of the Caribbean to Jurassic World, where he mastered the fine art of managing massive film sets.

What Does a First Assistant Director Actually Do?

A 1st AD is one of the most critical people on a film set, responsible for:

📌 Keeping everything on schedule – Every scene, every shot, every moving part.
📌 Managing the entire crew – Making sure hundreds (sometimes thousands) of people are on the same page.
📌 Working directly with the directors – Translating their vision into action on set.
📌 Balancing actors, stunts, visual effects, and production design – And making sure none of it falls apart.

“I’m not the guy yelling orders with a bullhorn. I’m the guy making sure everything runs smoothly—before anyone even realizes there’s a problem.”

‍

The Russos credit Castaldi’s leadership as a key reason why their productions function so efficiently. His approach? Respect the crew, learn everyone’s name, and make sure every person feels valued.

How Do You Organize Endgame’s Most Expensive Shot Ever?

If you think coordinating a friend group for dinner is hard, try organizing every major actor in the MCU for one single shot.

That’s exactly what Castaldi did for Tony Stark’s funeral scene in Avengers: Endgame—which assembled 40+ A-list actors in one location and became the most expensive shot in movie history.

“We planned it a year and a half in advance. Every single actor’s agent was contacted, and we locked in the date before we even knew what the scene was.”

To maintain secrecy, the actors were told they were attending "a wedding"—not a funeral. Even they didn’t know what they were shooting until the morning of.

“I stood up in front of the entire cast and just said, ‘This is the coolest f**ing day of my career. Let’s do this.’”*

The scene was so well-prepped that they finished in one day instead of two, wrapping one of the most important moments in the MCU with zero reshoots.

Why He Likes to Start Movies with the Hardest Scenes

Most filmmakers ease into production, starting with simple scenes to warm up the crew. Castaldi? He does the exact opposite.

“I like to shock the crew into working at full capacity from day one.”

‍

For example, on Pirates of the Caribbean, the directors’ first day involved:

⚡ 600 extras
⚡ 100 stunt performers
⚡ Helicopters, drones, and explosions

“The directors literally looked at me and said, ‘Whoa.’”

His logic? If the crew starts big, they stay prepared—which makes the rest of the shoot run much smoother.

The Gift That Took Five Years to Complete

To commemorate the MCU, Castaldi created the ultimate piece of film memorabilia:

🖊️ A one-of-a-kind Avengers poster with 77 cast signatures
🎬 Every actor signed it—personally tracked down by Castaldi over five years
✈️ He flew across the country, met actors in parking lots, even got autographs in grocery stores

It’s the only one in existence—and he gave it to the Russo Brothers.

“I wanted to make something that truly captured the scope of what we did.”

‍

What’s Next for Castaldi?

Despite working on some of the biggest films ever, Castaldi still has a few bucket list projects he wants to check off.

🎬 Dream projects? Star Wars or James Bond
💥 Most complicated production? Infinity War & Endgame—back-to-back
😆 The one job he didn’t get? A Melissa McCarthy comedy—because he “wasn’t funny enough”

“I guess my resume was too explosive.”

‍

As The Electric State releases, Castaldi remains one of Hollywood’s most essential behind-the-scenes forces—ensuring that no matter how big the production, he’s the one making sure it actually happens.

Watch the full episode here → [HERE]

‍

‍

‍

‍