Who was originally considered for Tony Soprano?

Series creator David Chase initially approached Australian actor Anthony LaPaglia for the role. LaPaglia had played his share of cops as well as criminals in movies like 1994's The Client. Ultimately, he and Chase disagreed on how best to approach Tony.

Who turned down the role of Tony Soprano?

Clearly a picky character, Liotta also turned down a chance to appear in the influential HBO gangster series The Sopranos, with the show's creator David Chase reaching out to the star in the hopes he would take a role in the series.

Who was Tony Soprano supposed to be?

Tony Soprano from The Sopranos was inspired by real-life gangsters, adding realism to the character. Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo is widely believed to be the real-life inspiration for Tony Soprano. The fictional life of Tony Soprano is more dramatic and potentially more brutal than the true story he was based on.

Who was almost cast in Sopranos?

Tony Soprano was almost played by someone else

As it turns out, the show's creator, David Chase, was originally debating whether to cast Steven Van Zandt as Tony. However, he ultimately decided to give Gandolfini the role and had Van Zandt play Silvio.

James Gandolfini talks Tony Soprano's anger

Who did Lady Gaga play in The Sopranos?

The "Rain on Me" singer appeared on a season three episode of the hit HBO drama, in which she played "Girl at Swimming Pool #2." During the scene, Gaga (credited as Stefani Germanotta), sits on the bleachers, smokes a cigarette, and laughs as AJ Soprano (Robert Iler) and his friends begin vandalizing the high school's ...

Who else auditioned for Carmela Soprano?

The Sopranos almost looked very different. Oscar nominee Lorraine Bracco, Dr. Jennifer Melfi, Tony Soprano's (James Gandolfini) psychiatrist on the hit HBO series, was originally offered a very different role: Carmela Soprano. So why did she turn down the role that eventually went to Edie Falco?

Who was the real life inspiration for Tony Soprano?

Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo (born June 4, 1944) is an American former mobster who was de facto boss of the New Jersey DeCavalcante crime family before becoming a government witness in 1999. Fictional mob boss Tony Soprano, the protagonist of the HBO series The Sopranos, is said to be based upon Palermo.

Who auditioned for Junior Soprano?

The intense, multilayered character analyses of the titular Sopranos and the other gabagool-seeking characters on the show helped make the HBO series synonymous with “the greatest of all-time.” Tony Sirico and Frank Vincent were an important part of that even if they lost out on the role of Uncle Junior, and Dominic ...

What did real mobsters think of The Sopranos?

In an oral history of the series in Vanity Fair, it was revealed that F.B.I. agents had told the show's producers that they heard real mafia members talking about the show via wiretaps, and they were convinced the series had a "guy on the inside." It was so authentic that even real-world gangsters questioned just how ...

Who else auditioned for Christopher Moltisanti?

Almost Played It: Christian Maelen

While Michael Imperioli was David Chase's first choice for the role of Christopher Moltisanti, if he'd been unable to take the part for some reason, Chase's second choice was Christian Maelen.

Who got fired from The Sopranos?

However, Kessler was fired by Chase midway through the show's run. Per Yahoo News, Kessler has revealed that Gandolfini treated him to dinner after he was fired from The Sopranos.

Who took over the soprano family after Tony died?

After Tony's death in The Sopranos ending, Silvio could have regained consciousness. After several months of rehabilitation, he would take responsibility for the entire family.

Who turned down the role of Carmela Soprano?

Jennifer Melfi – Lorraine Bracco. Bracco was born in the brooklyn not to far from New Jersey where the show is set. She originally Auditioned for the lead female role of Carmela Soprano, but turned it down fearing the part was too similar to her role in Goodfellas where she was a mob wife.

Who could play Tony Soprano now?

Just like James Gandolfini before him, Chiwetel Ejiofor has had a long career on stage. He is suited to take on the challenge of playing Tony Soprano and find out what makes Tony tick. Ejiofor is no stranger to groundbreaking drama, having starred in the Best Picture winner, 12 Years a Slave.

Why did The Sopranos end?

Rather, The Sopranos ended because Chase drafted the best finale for the story, which he told a crowd gathered for his Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television acceptance in 2008 after an extended hiatus between seasons 5 and 6. This isn't to say there wasn't some HBO interference, particularly early on.

Who else was considered for the role of Tony Soprano?

Steven Van Zandt Almost Played Tony Soprano

Before James Gandolfini was cast, the actor that David Chase had in mind for Tony Soprano was Steven Van Zandt.

Did anyone else audition for Tony Soprano?

An actor who didn't end up playing Tony but still landed a role on The Sopranos is John Ventimiglia. He auditioned for both Tony Soprano and Paulie Walnuts, and while he wasn't quite right for either of those characters, the producers evidently liked him as he ended up being cast as Artie Bucco.

Where is Paulie from The Sopranos now?

Tony Sirico, the actor best known for playing the eccentric gangster Paulie Walnuts on the hit HBO series “The Sopranos,” died on Friday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was 79. His death, in an assisted living facility, was confirmed by Bob McGowan, his manager.

Who is Christopher Moltisanti based on?

Michael Imperioli's character Christopher Moltisanti was not written with a notable real-life counterpart in mind, but the actor did draw on someone he knew growing up to help him better understand and perform the role.

Who was Livia Soprano based on?

Character origins

David Chase based Livia on his own mother, Norma Chase.

Which Sopranos cast member was originally asked to play the role of Carmela Soprano?

Lorraine Bracco played the role of mob wife Karen Hill in Goodfellas, and she was originally asked to play the role of Carmela Soprano.

Who was the best actor in Sopranos?

Lead actor James Gandolfini and lead actress Edie Falco received the most nominations and wins of the ensemble cast, including three wins each for the Primetime Emmy Award, in their respective categories; as well as Falco winning the Golden Globe Award in 2000 and 2003, and Gandolfini winning in 2000.

Did they change the actress for Meadow Soprano?

In 1997, Sigler was cast as Meadow Soprano, daughter of New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano on the HBO series The Sopranos. When her manager first told her about auditioning for The Sopranos, Sigler thought she would have to sing soprano. She continued to play the role through the series finale in 2007.