Gary Lucchesi Honored as Sistine Chapel Experience Heads to Austin

Hollywood producer Gary Lucchesi, known for Million Dollar Baby, Cats, and The Underworld series, just received one of Italy’s highest honors, the Ordine al Merito del Lavoro, making him the first American to earn the title since Lee Iacocca. The award recognizes major contributions to industry and culture, and Lucchesi will now carry the title Cavaliere del Lavoro.

Lucchesi has been a key force behind the Sistine Chapel Experience, a massive 25,000 square foot immersive exhibit that brings Michelangelo’s frescoes to life with stunning digital detail. The show includes The Last Judgment, The Creation of Adam, and scenes by Botticelli, Perugino, Ghirlandaio, Pinturicchio, Rosselli, and Signorelli.

The exhibit premieres in Austin, Texas, making it the first U.S. city to host the experience. Global Experiences, based in Austin, is producing the event — and according to principal Penn Parish, Lucchesi’s involvement has been essential in bringing this ambitious project to life.

Lucchesi’s Hollywood background is extensive: he’s held top positions at TriStar, Paramount, Lakeshore Entertainment, and the Really Useful Film Co., and is a former president of the Producers Guild of America. He currently works with Morgan Freeman’s Revelations Entertainment.

A collaboration between the Vatican Museums, Scripta Maneant, and Sistine Chapel Exhibits, LLC, the project uses advanced photography and digital innovation to share Renaissance masterpieces to audiences across the globe.

Source: PR Newswire and The Sistine Chapel Experience 

Adapted by: Kate Netzer