‘The Sopranos' Creator David Chase Worried James Gandolfini ‘Wasn't Threatening Enough' Before Casting Him in Iconic Lead Role: ‘I Have One Concern'
In an excerpt from Jason Bailey's book 'Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend' (via Vulture), Chase worried that Gandolfini wasn't 'threatening enough,' before ultimately casting him in the career-defining role.
More from Variety
'Industry' Producer Jane Tranter on How Late James Gandolfini Friendship Changed Her Career: 'First Time I Had Someone Who Was on My Side'
'Sopranos' Star Drea de Matteo on Joining OnlyFans, Coming Out as a MAGA Supporter and Why She Believes 'Half of Hollywood Is Voting for Trump'
'Sopranos' Star Lorraine Bracco Thought Divisive Ending Was 'Bad and Wrong': 'How Do You Invest 5 Years Into Someone's Life and Just Walk Away?'
During the show's development, Gandolfini's manager, Nancy Sanders, told Chase, 'I think I have Tony Soprano.' Chase wasn't immediately convinced.
Sanders stood up for her client, quickly quieting Chase's concerns, 'If you said to me, 'He's a little chubby,' or 'He's losing his hair,' I could understand. But he's threatening enough. This is your guy.'
'The Sopranos' casting directors, Sheila Jaffe and Georgianne Walken, echoed Sanders' enthusiasm. They remembered that Gandolfini 'was really our favorite idea from the beginning.'
Gandolfini himself wasn't confident that he would land the role of Tony Soprano. He recalled in the excerpt, 'I think my exact words were, 'I could kick this guy right in the ass, but I'll never get cast. They'll hire some fucking pretty boy.' I thought they'd hire, you know, one of these Irish-looking guys who are all over TV now.'
He also worried that Chase would be 'a pain in the ass' to work with. However, after the pair met for breakfast, all concerns melted away.
'When he finally settled down and really did a reading, it was just obvious,' Chase said.
'The Sopranos' is currently streaming on Max.
Best of Variety
New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
What's Coming to Disney+ in May 2025
The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Magazine
2 hours ago
- Time Magazine
Rosie O'Donnell Responds as Trump Threatens Her Citizenship
Comedian and actor Rosie O'Donnell has responded to President Donald Trump's threat to have her U.S. citizenship revoked, the latest move in a yearslong back-and-forth between the two New York-born former TV stars. Taking to her Instagram on Saturday, hours after Trump's threat, O'Donnell uploaded a picture of the U.S. President with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump socialised with Epstein decades ago and is now embroiled in a charged public discourse as people demand for his Administration to release the full Epstein files, something he seemed inclined to do during his campaign. Captioning the pointed image, O'Donnell, who is currently living in Ireland and seeking Irish citizenship through her grandparents' roots, said: 'I'm everything you fear. A loud woman, a queer woman, a mother who tells the truth, an American who got out of the country before you set it ablaze. You are everything that is wrong with America—and I'm everything you hate about what's still right with it.' 'You want to revoke my citizenship? Go ahead and try, King Joffrey with a tangerine spray tan,' concluded O'Donnell, making reference to the villainous child-king from the hit HBO series Game of Thrones. O'Donnell commented further during an appearance on the Sunday with Miriam show on Ireland's RTÉ Radio 1. "I reacted with a little post that I jotted off in five minutes, and that's been getting a lot of attention online," she said, reiterating her response to Trump's threat. "I am very proud to be opposed to every single thing he says and does and represents." Read More: White House Speaks Out Amid Backlash Over Meme of Trump as Superman On Saturday, Trump had told his more than 10 million followers on Truth Social that he was giving 'serious consideration' to stripping O'Donnell of her citizenship, claiming she 'is not in the best interests' of the U.S. 'She is a threat to humanity and should remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her,' the U.S. President said. Trump's threat comes as his Administration continues its attempt to rollback birthright citizenship law. On Thursday, a federal judge placed a temporary nationwide block on Trump's order ending birthright citizenship. Experts argue that a 1967 Supreme Court ruling means that the U.S. government does not have the ability to revoke the citizenship of a native-born U.S. citizen under the fourteenth amendment. Just recently, Trump has threatened to revoke the U.S. citizenship of his one-time ally and now key critic, Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, and the Democratic New York City mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani, who was born in Uganda. However, his threat against O'Donnell is particularly loaded, as the pair share a fraught history that goes back years. O'Donnell notably criticized Trump in 2006 during an episode of the round-table talk show The View, of which she was a long-time panelist. O'Donnell mocked Trump in relation to a press conference he appeared in for the Miss USA contest, which he co-owned at the time. Meanwhile, Trump lashed out in an episode of The Apprentice at a boardroom meeting, during which he called O'Donnell 'disgusting' multiple times. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump brought up the comedian. In a debate with his opponent, Hillary Clinton, he said: 'Rosie O'Donnell—I said very tough things to her, and I think everybody would agree that she deserves it and nobody feels sorry for her.' O'Donnell responded at the time, saying Trump "will never be President," in one post and calling him an 'orange an-s' in another. Meanwhile, O'Donnell's choice to post an image of Trump and Epstein comes at an interesting time. On Saturday night, Trump defended Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has come under fire for not releasing the Epstein files in full. There have long been calls to see a so-called "client list" supposedly belonging to Epstein. (Bondi's previous release of some files were heavily redacted and informed the public of little they had not learned before.)'What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals?' They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein. For years, it's Epstein, over and over again,' Trump said, encouraging people to move from the topic. 'One year ago our country was dead, now it's the hottest country anywhere in the world. Let's keep it that way, and not waste time and energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.' Trump's input comes amid backlash over the publication of a memo from the Justice Department and FBI, who conducted a review of the Epstein investigation. Per the memo, their findings concluded there is no evidence Epstein kept a 'client list' or was murdered. It also said "no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions." Read More: Where Things Stand With the Epstein Files Following Musk's Allegation Against Trump Trump's commentary about Epstein has been of high interest, especially since Musk, in a now-deleted social media post, alleged that Trump is listed in the files related to the late financier and alleged sex trafficker. 'That is the real reason they have not been made public,' Musk said in early June. He did not provide evidence pertaining to this. Trump's connection to Epstein dates back decades. In an interview with New York magazine in 2002, he said that Epstein was 'a lot of fun to be with.' 'It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side,' Trump told the reporter. In July 2019, NBC News' TODAY released video footage believed to be from 1992, which showed Trump hosting Epstein at his Mar-a-Lago estate. After Epstein's 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges, Trump made an effort to distance himself. Speaking in the Oval Office in 2019, Trump said: 'I had a falling out with him [Epstein]. I haven't spoken to him in 15 years. I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you.'
Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Work continues, but Tinley Park's Harmony Square still set to debut on Friday
After more than a year of construction and over $38 million spent, Tinley Park's Harmony Square, an outdoor music and performance venue with retail space, apartments and townhouses, is set to open Friday, June 18. Construction was still at full throttle last week, but despite a few recent heavy storms, village officials said the work is on schedule with only minor projects left. Amanda Gaus, Tinley Park events specialist, said Friday the square's turf still needs to be finalized, mulch needs to be put down and items for the stage, such as speakers and lighting, need to finished. Eventually, she said, there will be more landscaping, such as perennial flowers plants, outside of the mulch and turf planned for the 2-acre square. The property is 6 acres total, including the planned townhouses and apartments, according to the village. 'Harmony Square has been a key component of our vision for a first-class downtown for many years now, and it's exciting to be here as it transitions from a dream to reality,' Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz said in a statement late June. A structure across from the stage, called Studio 67, also still needs to be finished, but Gaus said there are just 'cosmetic' final touches left. The building will be used as a reservable VIP space for events such as birthday parties and includes a rooftop area. Several projects are completed, such as a water feature, or splash pad, which will be showcased in the opening events Friday and is planned to be converted into a synthetic ice rink in the winter. In March, the village also reopened Teehan's, a popular Irish bar, after purchasing the property for $200,000 as part of the Harmony Square project. Other completed projects include replacement of a sidewalk ramp, parkway restoration and other miscellaneous structural projects, according to the Tinley Park website. The grand opening for the square, at 6700 North Street, will begin at 7 p.m. Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by food and drink vendors, speeches by elected officials, special deals on village merchandise for residents and a concert by the rock band BoDeans. Friday's events will be followed by a block party from 2-10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday at the square. It will include live music on two stages, food and drinks, rides and games. After its weekend launch, Gaus said, the square will dive into programing, with events such as the farmers market, community band series, seasonal light shows, movie showings, possible streaming of popular sports games and even an instrument zoo where children can play with a variety of instruments. Gaus said this could transition into free music lessons in the square and said large games, like Connect Four, would be added to the square. 'It's a third space,' Gaus said. 'It's not where you live, it's not where you work, it's where you go to have time off or have a picnic, have fun with friends, that kind of thing, that third place to go and see and do things.' The square ultimately fulfills the city's new 'life amplified' branding that leans into providing more live music in the area, Gaus said. Although construction on Harmony Square began in 2024, Gaus said the village has planned for a community space like this since the early 2000s, as Tinley Park bought the 3.3-acre property from Tinley Park Elementary District 146 in 2005. Specific details for the space changed several times, Gaus added. The village approved several multimillion-dollar contracts fulfilling a variety of purposes, including plumbing and decorative woodwork, for the property in the past year, including a $7.8 million contract last September, a $24.5 million contract last May and a $6.8 million contract last March. A few projects will be completed after the grand opening, Gaus said. During the first few weeks, 175th street will be closed for improvements, a project Gaus said the village aims to finish possibly by mid-August. As a part of this project, power in the area was shut off from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 9 in order to install a 4-inch gas pipe. West Point Builders, which is developing a portion of the village's land under the Harmony Square project, plans to build a five-story, mixed-use building with 63 apartments above commercial spaces on North Street, east of Oak Park Avenue and east of Harmony Square. West Point also plans to build 60 townhouses on the former site of Central Middle School. The village is also scheduled to replace almost 11,000 feet of old water pipes in the next year, according to the Tinley Park website, which also said concrete work for this project started on 171st Street the week of July 7. Parking is also ongoing and 'won't necessarily change,' Gaus said, as the village would adapt for each event and is providing a shuttle service from the 80th Avenue train station for events next weekend to avoid increased traffic downtown. Harmony Square is bordered by 172nd and 173rd streets on the north and south, and the 67th Avenue and 67th Court on the east and west. Gaus said she is looking forward to the square's opening. 'We're just really making sure that it's launched and that it's that really great place to go downtown,' Gaus said.
New York Post
7 hours ago
- New York Post
OnlyFans star, 21, reveals how her parents invested in her X-rated career
A 21-year-old woman has revealed why she gives her parents a jaw-dropping $18,000 a month and how they invested in her X-rated career. Skylar Mae, 21, stopped studying to become a dental nurse and works full-time creating explicit content but what drives her is being able to help her parents. Advertisement Mae told that it feels 'amazing' to be making six-figures a month, not just because she can afford to buy a fancy car. Both her parents suffer from health issues and the money means she can always afford to foot any medical expenses that arise. 'My dad would work so hard for my family, even with all of his health issues, that it's nice seeing him take a few days off of work here and there,' she said. 5 OnlyFans star Skylar Mae revealed how her parents found out about her adult content career. Skylar Mae/Instagram Advertisement 'Truly what gets me out of bed everyday is knowing I'm taking care for them.' Mae doesn't just cover the odd medical bill; she gives her parents a monthly allowance of $18,000. The 21-year-old argued it is the least she can do for her parents. 'My Dad is so proud that he even has my stage name tattooed on his arm. I just redid their bathroom for them and I love taking them on holidays,' she said. Advertisement Mae said her parents have always been supportive of her career choice, even though there's still a stigma attached to it. 5 Mae's lucrative salary doesn't just cover the odd medical bill; she gives her parents a monthly allowance of $18,000. 5 Mae said it feels 'amazing' to be making six figures a month, not just because she can afford to buy a fancy car. Her mom will even drive her to and from shoots and hang around in the local area to make sure she's okay. Advertisement If she's booking a hotel for work, her parents also always check in and make sure she's all right and everything is ticking along smoothly. When her Dad found out about her doing OnlyFans, she said he was immediately supportive and even her Grandma is fine with it. 'He and my mom even agreed to invest in my account by buying my lingerie,' she said. 5 If she's booking a hotel for work, her parents also always check in and make sure she's all right and everything is ticking along smoothly. Skylar Mae/Instagram 5 Mae said her parents have always been supportive of her career choice, even though there's still a stigma attached to it. Skylar Mae/Instagram 'Once my grandma heard about what I was doing, she wanted to be part of the success too and ordered me this cute rhinestone lingerie set from Amazon.' The 21-year-old admitted that her parents are even up on the lingo when it comes to OnlyFans, but that doesn't mean she wants to discuss it. Advertisement 'They'll call me and they'll be like, oh, like, 'what kind of content did you do today? How many customs did you do today? They know it all, the language, everything.' Despite her parents being so accepting of her X-rated work, Mae said that there's 'definitely a line' and she doesn't share everything with them. 'I guess maybe I'm a little bit more reserved than them,' she said.
