Paul Thomas Anderson has this weird, almost supernatural ability to find actors who look like they actually lived in the 1970s. Not "Halloween costume" 1970s, but the grainy, sun-drenched, slightly sweaty reality of the San Fernando Valley. In 2021, he gave us Licorice Pizza. Most people talk about Alana Haim’s breakout or Cooper Hoffman’s debut, which makes sense. But if you really want to talk about who stole every single frame they were in, you have to talk about Skyler Gisondo.
He plays Lance Brannigan. He’s a "working actor" in the film’s universe. Honestly, he's the perfect foil for Gary Valentine’s teenage hustle.
The Shabbat Dinner Scene Is a Masterclass in Awkwardness
There is one specific scene that defines Skyler Gisondo in Licorice Pizza. It’s the Shabbat dinner. Alana brings Lance home to meet her family, mostly to spite Gary, I think. Lance is handsome. He’s polite. He fits the "nice Jewish boy" mold that Alana’s father, played by the real-life Haim patriarch Mordechai, clearly wants for his daughter.
Then comes the prayer.
Lance is asked to say the blessing over the challah. Instead of just faking it or going through the motions to impress the parents, he drops a bombshell: he's an atheist. He doesn't believe in God. He says it with this terrifyingly calm, deadpan sincerity that makes the air in the room turn into lead. It is peak cringe.
You’ve probably seen Gisondo in Booksmart or The Righteous Gemstones. He’s a comedic sniper. He knows exactly how to play a character who is totally confident in their own social suicide. In this scene, he isn't being a jerk; he's just being "honest," which is the worst thing you can be at a high-stakes family dinner.
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Why Lance Brannigan Works So Well
Lance isn't just a random boyfriend. He represents everything Gary Valentine is terrified of. Lance has a real career. He’s a peer to Alana in a way Gary—who is literally a child—can never be.
When Lance calls Alana a "super-hot chaperone" to Gary’s face, it’s a jab that actually lands. It’s mean, but it’s framed with such effortless cool that you almost side with him. Gisondo plays the character with a specific kind of 70s vanity. He’s got the hair, the posture, and that "I’m an artist" vibe that PTA movies capture better than anyone else.
The movie meanders. That's what PTA does. We get Bradley Cooper as a manic Jon Peters and Sean Penn as a grumpy Jack Holden, but Gisondo’s Lance feels more grounded in the actual stakes of Alana’s life. He is the "adult" option that ultimately proves to be just as disappointing or shallow as the kid she’s actually running around with.
The Contrast of the Child Actor
It's funny because Skyler Gisondo was actually a child actor himself. He was in the Air Buddies movies (yes, the talking dogs) and played Howard Stacy in the Amazing Spider-Man films.
In Licorice Pizza, he’s playing a version of that life. He and Gary are both "in the biz," but Lance has graduated to the next level. He’s the guy who gets the girl—or at least the guy who makes the protagonist realize he’s out of his league. Seeing Gisondo lean into that slick, slightly arrogant persona is a treat because it’s such a pivot from the "lovable loser" or "awkward teen" roles he’s played in things like Santa Clarita Diet.
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A Career Pivot Point
Looking back from 2026, Licorice Pizza was a massive turning point for Skyler. Before this, he was the guy you recognized but maybe didn't know by name. He was the "kid from Vacation."
After PTA got a hold of him? Everything changed.
He proved he could hold his own against heavy hitters and work within the specific, rhythmic dialogue of a prestige director. It's likely the reason James Gunn looked at him and saw the perfect Jimmy Olsen for Superman. He has that "classic" face. He can be the moral center or the absolute weirdest person in the room. Usually both.
What Most People Get Wrong About His Role
A lot of critics focused on the "cameo" nature of the supporting cast. They lumped Gisondo in with the "brief appearances" category. That’s a mistake.
Lance Brannigan isn't just a cameo; he’s a catalyst. Without the failure of her relationship with Lance—and that disastrous dinner—Alana doesn't start questioning her place in her own family or her weird attraction to Gary's chaotic world. Lance is the "correct" choice on paper who turns out to be a total mismatch in reality.
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How to Watch His Performance Differently
Next time you put on Licorice Pizza, don't just wait for the waterbed scenes or the Bradley Cooper freakouts. Watch Gisondo’s eyes during the dinner scene.
- The Silence: Notice how long he lets the silence hang after he refuses the prayer.
- The Body Language: He sits with a rigid sort of "actor's posture" that feels entirely performative.
- The Tone: He never raises his voice. The more uncomfortable the Haim family gets, the more relaxed he becomes.
It is a masterclass in "less is more."
If you're a fan of Gisondo, you should definitely track down his work in The Righteous Gemstones right after watching this. The jump from Gideon's brooding intensity to Lance's vacant, "atheist-actor" confidence shows exactly why he’s one of the best character actors of his generation.
The next step for any PTA fan is to go back and watch the scenes where Lance and Gary interact at the variety show. There's a subtle power struggle there that usually gets overlooked on the first watch. Pay attention to how Lance treats Gary like a professional peer while simultaneously reminding him he's just a kid. It’s subtle, brilliant, and honestly, kinda heartbreaking for Gary.
Go rewatch that Shabbat dinner. It's even more uncomfortable the second time.