One expects Gennaro Arma to be dignified, eloquent, and eminently professional. His handling of the COVID-19 outbreak as the Captain of the cruise ship Diamond Princess garnered him international recognition and praise for his level headed, calm demeanor in the face of a rapidly unfolding crisis.

One does not, however, expect him to be funny. But he is. Acutely aware of the transitory nature of his fame and its inevitable limits, on the mention that his is a story tailor made for Tom Hanks, he bursts into laughter. “Of course,” he says. “Whenever there is an emergency, you immediately think of Tom Hanks.”