Below are some of the most interesting facts about the film's ten-year journey to the screen and the extreme measures taken to achieve its "feature-length panic attack" energy: Casting "What-Ifs"

: The basketball game Howard bets on—the Celtics vs. 76ers in May 2012—is real. The Safdies chose it because Kevin Garnett had an incredible performance that aligned perfectly with their script. Production Grit

: To ensure realism, the directors used many first-time actors cast right off the street or from the Diamond District. This includes Julia Fox , who made her acting debut as Howard's mistress, and Maksud Agadjani , a real jeweler who played Howard's assistant.

Diamanti Grezzi 2019 May 2026

Below are some of the most interesting facts about the film's ten-year journey to the screen and the extreme measures taken to achieve its "feature-length panic attack" energy: Casting "What-Ifs"

: The basketball game Howard bets on—the Celtics vs. 76ers in May 2012—is real. The Safdies chose it because Kevin Garnett had an incredible performance that aligned perfectly with their script. Production Grit Diamanti grezzi 2019

: To ensure realism, the directors used many first-time actors cast right off the street or from the Diamond District. This includes Julia Fox , who made her acting debut as Howard's mistress, and Maksud Agadjani , a real jeweler who played Howard's assistant. Below are some of the most interesting facts