‘The Sopranos' Creator Worried James Gandolfini Wasn't 'Threatening Enough'
But The Sopranos creator David Chase was initially worried the actor wasn't 'threatening enough' to play the mafia boss in the acclaimed HBO drama series that ran for six seasons from 1999 to 2007, according to an excerpt from Jason Bailey's Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend.
More from Deadline
James Gandolfini's Son On Potential 'Sopranos' Prequel Series & Reprising Tony Soprano Role
All In The Family: 'Sopranos' Cast Brings Down The House At 25th Anniversary Reunion & Alex Gibney 'Wise Guy' Docu Tribeca Premiere
"The Hitler Thing": Bill Maher Lashes Out At Larry David's Mocking Of 'Real Time' Host's Trump Dinner
'Oh my God, I think I have Tony Soprano,' Gandolfini's manager Nancy Sanders recalled after reading the script in the excerpt shared by Vulture.
'All right, here's the deal,' Chase told her after watching Gandolfini's reel. 'I think he's brilliant. I have one concern, and that is, Is he threatening enough?'
Sanders quickly shut down that thinking. '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,' she explained.
Casting directors Georgianne Walken and Sheila Jaffe recalled Gandolfini 'was really our favorite idea from the beginning.'
The late Gandolfini 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 f—ing pretty boy.' I thought they'd hire, you know, one of these Irish-looking guys who are all over TV now.'
Although the actor worried Chase was 'going to be a pain in the a—' after inviting him to breakfast, the pair quickly hit it off, bonding over their mothers.
'When he finally settled down and really did a reading, it was just obvious,' said Chase, but Gandolfini wasn't sold on the HBO series, which eventually earned him three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe.
'Why am I doing this? I came to you to do f—ing movies,' he told Sanders. 'And now I'm doing an HBO series? I don't even know what the network is!'
She assured him, 'Jim, listen to me. This is the best piece of writing I've ever read, whether it be TV, film, or theater. I promise you: This is worth doing. It's not going to change the world, but it's going to change TV.'
Although Gandolfini was convinced he'd 'be unemployed in less than a year,' he reluctantly signed on to play Tony Soprano with a 'Fine. F— it.'
Best of Deadline
Everything We Know About The 'Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Movie So Far
Everything We Know About Netflix's 'The Thursday Murder Club' So Far
TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
3 hours ago
- UPI
Famous birthdays for July 28: Jim Davis, GloRilla
TV // 15 hours ago 'It: Welcome to Derry' to premiere on HBO, HBO Max in October July 27 (UPI) -- The "It" prequel, "Welcome to Derry," is to premiere on HBO and HBO Max this October. The horror franchise is inspired by the writings of Stephen King.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Sopranos' Star, 73, Makes Heartbreaking Admission About His Mental Health
'Sopranos' Star, 73, Makes Heartbreaking Admission About His Mental Health originally appeared on Parade. Joe Pantoliano, best known for his Emmy-winning role as Ralph Cifaretto on The Sopranos, has candidly shared his decade-long struggle with clinical depression — a battle that nearly wrecked his marriage and life. At 73, Pantoliano revealed he suffered from depression for over 10 years before receiving a formal diagnosis in 2007. During his darkest moments, he admitted to self-medicating through what he calls his 'seven deadly symptoms' 'Alcohol, what was available, women, you know, risky behavior, act first and then ask questions second,' he explained to Page Sixat the off-Broadway opening of Ginger Twinsies on Thursday, July 24. The Goonies star confessed that he saw himself as 'a mess for a long time.' He traces much of his mental health challenges back to a turbulent childhood with his mother, who also struggled with mental illness. 'My wife Nancy Sheppard and my kids were ready to throw me out,' Pantoliano recalled. 'The only people who were happy to see me weren't people. They were my dogs.' He credited his pets with saving his life, saying they were 'the only spark that was left in me.' He then likened himself to Tinkerbell, whose "light" was fading. Since his diagnosis, Pantoliano has taken steps to raise awareness around mental health. He wrote two books addressing his depression and, in 2009, founded the organization 'No Kidding, Me Too!,' dedicated to removing the stigma associated with mental illness. 'We've done such a great job,' he explained. "Our mission for 'No Kidding, Me Too!' was to make the discussion of mental disease cool and trendy." 'And we've succeeded,' he quipped. 'You can't get them to shut up now!' Fans know Pantoliano best as Ralph Cifaretto, the sarcastic and volatile mobster on The Sopranos, where he starred alongside James Gandolfini, Michael Imperioli and Lorraine Bracco. His unforgettable performance earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. 'Sopranos' Star, 73, Makes Heartbreaking Admission About His Mental Health first appeared on Parade on Jul 28, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Miami Herald
What happens behind the scenes in WWE? This SMU alum shows you exclusively on Netflix
Did you ever wonder what happens behind the scenes in WWE? WWE (World Wrestling Entertainmant) is the top pro wrestling / sports entertainment company in the world. The financial success of this long-running organization has other pro sports groups taking notice. There's the athletic side of WWE and also the entertainment side. Yes, fans know results are predetermined, but who and how it's determined who will win are part of the company's mystique. It's a process, a very interesting process. SMU alum Chris Weaver will give you a first-hand look at what occurs there as the director of the new docuseries 'WWE: UnReal,' which premieres July 29 on Netflix. From Monday Night RAW to WrestleMania, 'WWE: UnReal' goes backstage with WWE Superstars and staff as they bring the company's major spectacles to life. Season 1 covers from January to WrestleMania in April. So, WWE's biggest battles aren't always in the ring. 'WWE: Unreal' dives into the writers' room where legends — and feuds — are made. Paul Levesque, a 14-time WWE World Champion best known in the ring as Triple H and WWE's chief content officer since 2022, serves as the narrator of the docuseries. Weaver, who has a degree in Communication Arts: Cinema with a minor in English from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, is a senior producer for NFL Films, including the successful NFL reality docuseries 'Hard Knocks' on HBO. He is in his 22nd year working with NFL Films. Prior, he was an intern in the Broadcast Department for the Dallas Cowboys. During his teens years, Weaver gradauted from Mesquite High School in 1998 outside Dallas. Here is my video interview with 'WWE: UnReal' Director Chris Weaver. Weaver is a 9-time Emmy winning filmmaker. He has been instrumental in developing and launching new series such as 'Quarterback' for Netflix, 'Hard Knocks: in Season' for HBO, 'Peyton's Places' for ESPN+, 'All or Nothing' for Amazon, 'NFL Icons' for MGM+, 'NFL Films Drawn' for Youtube, and now 'WWE: UnReal: for Netflix. He has produced numerous features for 'Hard Knocks: Training Camp' for HBO, 'NFL Films Presents' for FS1, 'NFL Gameday All Access' for Youtube, 'Inside the NFL' for CW, 'Hey Rookie: Welcome to the NFL' for ESPN, 'A Football Life' for NFL Network and many more. His current focus is on story producing, lead editing, writing, and field directing. In an unprecedented turn, 'WWE: UnReal' takes you behind the scenes - into the writer's room and the homes of WWE's greatest Superstars - to show the year-round work it takes to execute one of the most secretive shows in the world week over week. And when the curtain falls down, the business of getting a show to air is just as compelling as the Main Event. Trailer: NETFLIX: JULY 29, 2025 EPISODES: 5 episodes x 50 Minutes EPISODE TITLES: Episode 1 - New EraEpisode 2 - PushEpisode 3 - Worth The WaitEpisode 4 - Heel TurnEpisode 5 - Wrestlemania THOSE FEATURED: Triple H, Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, CM Punk, Jey Uso, Bianca Belair, Chelsea Green, Charlotte Flair, and Xavier Woods. Logline: For the first time ever, step into the WWE writer's room and outside the ring with your favorite WWE Superstars, where the drama is just as intense offstage as it is under the spotlight. Director: Chris Weaver Showrunner: Erik Powers Executive Producers: Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ross Ketover, Keith Cossrow, Ken Rodgers, Jessica Boddy, Lee Fitting, Ben Houser, Marc Pomarico Production Companies: Omaha Productions, NFL Films, Skydance Sports, WWE Visit:
