Chris Cuomo and his brother Andreas Cuomo joined forces to honor the legacy of their late father, the former governor of New York Mario Cuomoin the new documentary ‘Mario’.
Both siblings have remained in the public eye, mainly through Criticism from Chris by Donald Trump and Andrew’s political efforts after his failed mayoral bid in New York City.
The pair have also faced public criticism in recent years after Andrew was accused of sexual harassment and Chris was said to have taken part in strategy calls advising him.
These days, it’s a rare sight for the Cuomo brothers to make headlines without the looming shadow of political or media controversy. But that’s exactly what they did at the 2026 Tribeca Festival, where they came together to honor the legacy of their late father, Mario Cuomo.
In the new documentary “Mario,” Chris and Andrew, along with their siblings, feature prominently as they talk about their father, who was not only a political giant but also maintained balance in other areas of his life, including his family.
The documentary sheds light on his decision not to run for president, despite being one of the Democratic Party’s most popular politicians.
The feature-length documentary, directed by acclaimed filmmakers Peter, George and Teddy Kunhardt, also explores his compassion-driven leadership style and what he could have achieved for the country had he chosen to run for office.
A look at Mario Cuomo’s political legacy
Born in 1932 to Italian immigrants, Mario was a prominent American politician and lawyer who served three terms as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1995. He won widespread recognition for his eloquent defense of modern liberalism and declined multiple opportunities to run for the U.S. presidency.
During a keynote address at the 1984 Democratic National Convention, he challenged President Ronald Reagan’s policies and record, stating, “There is desperation, Mr. President, in the faces you don’t see, in the places you don’t visit in your wonderful city,” he said. CBS News.
He was the first Italian American to be sworn in and died in 2015 at the age of 82, the same day his son Andrew was sworn in for a second term as governor of New York.
Andrew Cuomo reflects on his father’s legacy
Speak with Brutal At the festival, Andrew described the experience as “bittersweet,” saying he misses his father while emphasizing the importance of highlighting his legacy and contributions to American politics.
“Well, it’s bittersweet. I miss him every day. But it’s important for people to realize what he stood for. To understand that politics doesn’t have to be the way it is today,” he said. “We are better than this. Our politics can be better than this. And that’s what Mario Cuomo is all about,” he added.
Chris Cuomo’s CNN exit revisited
Meanwhile, Andrew and Chris have endured turbulent years in the public eye, amid controversy. CNN fired Chris in 2021 for the assistance he provided to Andrew as the former governor faced sexual harassment allegations.
The network hired a “respected law firm” to investigate the matter extent of Chris’ involvement in defense of his brother and eventually fired him after finding evidence to support his concerns.
The anchor said in a statement at the time that he was disappointed and that this was “not how I wanted my time at CNN to end.”
CNN said the advice he gave his brother, while recognizing “the unique position Chris Cuomo found himself in and appreciating his need to put his family first and his job second,” constituted a violation of journalistic ethics.
Documents released by New York Attorney General Letitia James showed that Chris continued to pressure the then-governor’s staff to let him play a bigger role in his brother’s defense.
Chris Cuomo reveals advice he gave Andrew
When he announced his resignation at the time, Andrew claimed there was “a bias or a lack of fairness in the justice system” but also apologized “deeply, deeply” to his accusers, who he said were likely “truly offended”.
Chris later denied reports that he took part in strategy sessions for his brother, saying he was never an advisor but did provide personal advice.
“I said flat out that I can’t be objective when it comes to my family… And when (the scandal) happened, I tried to be there for my brother. I’m not an advisor. I’m a brother; I wasn’t in control of anything. I was there to listen and give my opinion,” he said, per The Guardian.
“And my advice to my brother was simple and consistent about what you did. Tell people what you are going to do to get better, be remorseful and ultimately accept that it doesn’t matter what you meant. What matters is how your actions and words were perceived,” he continued.
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