Latest news with #Sopranos
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Joe Pantoliano's mental health crisis nearly destroyed his marriage
The Sopranos star Joe Pantoliano has revealed his mental health crisis almost destroyed his marriage. The 73-year-old actor - who played Ralph 'Ralphie' Cifaretto in the hit mobster drama - has confessed he was "a mess for a long time" and he made matters worse by self-medicating with alcohol which left his marriage to Nancy Sheppard on the brink of collapse. He told New York Post column PageSix: "[I used] alcohol, what was available, women, you know, risky behaviour, act first and then ask questions second ... "[I was] a mess for a long time ... My wife and my kids were ready to throw me out. The only people who were happy to see me weren't people. They were my dogs." Joe went on to insist he believes his pets helped save him. He explained: '[The dogs] saved my life because it was the only spark that was left in me. I was like Tinkerbell and the light was dying." The actor was eventually diagnosed with clinical depression in 2007 and managed to get his life back on track. He has since written two books on mental health and founded a charity called No Kidding, Me Too! to help eliminate the stigma surrounding such issues, Joe recently declared he's been feeling "really uncomfortable" at home in the US since President Donald Trump took office for a second term last year. He had previously revealed he's no fan of the reality TV star-turned-politician and accused him of glorifying the mobster characters in The Sopranos to justify bad behaviour, Joe told The Independent newspaper: "What always upset me was that the majority of the audience didn't get the genius of [The Sopranos creator] David Chase, and what David Chase was saying about these monsters. "[Mobster character] Tony Soprano becomes a hero, when he's a broken-down gangster and a murderer. Scumbags like Trump and Roger Stone, all these white-collar criminals, continue to be quoted as using The Godfather and The Sopranos as a blueprint for being douchebags! I mean, how f***** up is that?"
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sopranos star reveals mental health issues almost 'destroyed' his life
A Sopranos star has revealed his struggle with mental health issues nearly 'destroyed' his life and family. Joe Pantoliano, 73, who is one of many Hollywood A-listers considering moving to another country, shared he struggled with clinical depression for nearly a decade before getting a diagnosis. To relieve his symptoms, the actor, who starred as Ralph Cifaretto in the Emmy -winning crime drama told Page Six he would self-medicate via what he called his 'seven deadly symptoms.' ' Alcohol, what was available, women, you know, risky behavior, act first and then ask questions second,' the actor told the outlet on Thursday. The Goonies actor admitted he was a 'mess for a long time,' and attributed some of his problems to growing up with a mother who also suffered from mental health challenges. 'My wife [actress Nancy Sheppard] and my kids were ready to throw me out,' he said. 'The only people who were happy to see me weren't people. They were my dogs.' the actor recalled. The Last of Us star, who is currently starring in the off-Broadway show Ginger Twinsies, also credited his pups with saving his life. 'It was the only spark that was left in me. I was like Tinkerbell and the light was dying,' he explained. Pantoliano finally received a diagnosis in 2007. Two year later her found an organization called, No Kidding, Me Too! to help take away the stigma around mental health struggles. 'We've done such a great job,' he said. 'Our mission for No Kidding, Me Too! was to make the discussion of mental disease cool and trendy,' he said, adding, 'And we've succeeded. You can't get them to shut up now!' After his show closes on October 26, Pantoliano and his wife may pull up sticks and move to Europe amid all the political chaos in the United States. 'It's hard for me to think about people's bulls*** like making a TV show. The world is on fire; it's hard for me to concentrate,' Pantoliano said. In a recent video on social media he told his fans, 'Nancy and I were in Portugal for a couple of weeks.' 'We actually looked into getting visas so that we could live there part of the time, or most of the time.' 'It's a great place to retire,' he added, saying, 'It suits me. I love to walk; I take amazing walks there.' Other celebrities such as Rosie O'Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi, designer Tom Ford, along with Ryan Gosling and partner Eva Mendes have already moved abroad.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Casting News: Alison Brie's FX Pilot, One Tree Hill Vet Joins Emily in Paris and More
Alison Brie (Community, GLOW) is set to star in FX's as-yet-untitled witness protection pilot, Deadline reports. In the potential drama, 'a violent confrontation drives a high-end D.C. madam (played by Brie) to turn on her partner and enter witness protection in seaside Maine with her adolescent daughter,' according to the official logline. More from TVLine Every New Scripted Show Confirmed to Premiere in 2025 — Save the Dates! What to Watch in July: Your Guide to 170+ Premieres Across Broadcast, Cable and Streaming Abigail Spencer to Star Opposite Josh Charles in Fox's Doc Martin Adaptation The series is based on a previously unproduced script by Sopranos mastermind David Chase. Hannah Fidell and Gina Welch (Clipped) will co-write the contemporary take, while Fidell is also set to direct. In other recent casting news… * Bryan Greenberg (One Tree Hill, Suits LA) has boarded Emily in Paris Season 5 as a recurring guest star. Per Deadline, he'll play Jake, an American living in Paris. French actress Michèle Laroque (Better Days) will also recur on the Netflix comedy as Yvette, an old friend of Sylvie's. * Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos) will star opposite Patrick Dempsey in Fox's Memory of a Killer. He'll play Dutch, 'an accomplished Italian chef who owns a restaurant in the Bronx, a stalwart establishment that is also a front for Dutch's less sociable activities — such as running a criminal enterprise,' according to the official character breakdown. 'As ruthless and mercurial as he is affable, Dutch is Angelo's (Dempsey) oldest friend, as well as his employer — he gives Angelo the targets for his hits. In a business as dangerous as theirs, Angelo must trust Dutch. But being trustworthy isn't one of Dutch's more dependable qualities.' * Peacock's The Five-Star Weekend adaptation has added recurring guest stars Judy Greer (Stick) as Electra, West Duchovny (Saint X) as Aubrey, and Tory Devon Smith (The Get Down) as John Mark, per Variety. They join an ensemble that includes Jennifer Garner, Regina Hall, Chloë Sevigny, Gemma Chan, D'Arcy Carden, Harlow Jane, Timothy Olyphant, David Denman, Josh Hamilton and Rob Huebel. Hit the comments with your thoughts on the castings above! What to Watch in July View List Best of TVLine Stars Who Almost Played Other TV Roles — on Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, Lost, Gilmore Girls, Friends and Other Shows TV Stars Almost Cast in Other Roles Fall TV Preview: Who's In? Who's Out? Your Guide to Every Casting Move!
Mint
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Sam Rockwell says he gets residual checks for Lean on Me, despite not being part of it
Washington DC [US], July 6 (ANI): Actor Sam Rockwell said he is still receiving residual checks for the 1989 film 'Lean on Me', despite not appearing in the movie, reported People. Rockwell said he was technically cast in the film, but another famous actor ultimately played his part The actor shared the information while appearing on a recent episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast with host Josh Horowitz. During the conversation, Rockwell said that when he was still a struggling young actor, he and several other up-and-comers drove to New Jersey together for an audition. "Michael Imperioli and I, and Kevin Corrigan drove in a van to New Jersey to audition for one line in Lean on Me," Rockwell recalled. He continued, "And I got it, and then they never got to my scene [during the shoot day], so they had to let me go because they didn't want to pay me for a week ... they either have to pay you for a day player or a week. So they let me go ... because they were like, 'Eh, we can't pay him for a week for one line.' And they hired Michael in the movie. And I still get residual checks for that even though I'm not in it," according to People. Rockwell further shared that the movie wasn't the only time he and Imperioli crossed paths in the early days of their career. "They called me to do Celebrity, and I was part of Leonardo DiCaprio's entourage. And I had a few lines, and they said director 'Woody Allen wants you to dye your hair bleach blonde.' And I said I'm not dying my hair bleach blonde for like five lines, what are you crazy?' And they're like, 'Woody wants you to do it!' And I'm like, 'Well, I'm not doing it!'," said Rockwell. "And they're like, 'Well, Michael Imperioli was gonna do it!'," added the actor. "Because he [Michael] had dropped out [of the project], and I was replacing Michael because Michael was gonna do a little pilot called Sopranos," Rockwell explained, adding, "And I said, 'Alright, I'll dye my hair.' " Rockwell garnered critical acclaim and fan recognition for his role in the third season of HBO's White Lotus, in which he appeared with his longtime partner, actress Leslie Bibb. Rockwell will also be reprising his role as "Mr. Wolf" in DreamWorks' The Bad Guys 2, which premieres in theatres nationwide on August 1, according to People. (ANI)
The Advertiser
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Steven Van Zandt misses Springsteen gigs due to surgery
Steven Van Zandt will miss some shows with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band after undergoing surgery for appendicitis. The 74-year-old guitarist and mandolin player assumed he had a bout of food poisoning, but it ended up being painful inflammation of the appendix. The musician and Sopranos legend has had successful surgery at a hospital in San Sebastian, Spain, and is hoping to be recovered enough to reunite with his band mates in Milan, Italy, on either of their shows on June 30 or July 3. He announced on X: "Got a sharp pain in my stomach, thought it was food poisoning, turned out to be appendicitis. Got lucky with an exceptional hospital in San Sebastian. Operation was a complete success and I'm hoping to get back on stage for at least one of the shows in Milan. Thank you all for all the good vibes. See you soon." The Boss and co play Milan on Tuesday night and Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on June 27. There is no word on who will step in for Van Zandt. Meanwhile, Springsteen is set to release Tracks II: The Lost Albums, an 83-track box set, on June 27. "The Lost Albums were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released. I've played this music to myself and often close friends for years now. I'm glad you'll get a chance to finally hear them. I hope you enjoy them," he said. And there is more to come, with Tracks III ready to go and five more albums in the series. "(There are) five full albums of music," Springsteen told The New York Times. "There was a lot of good music left." Steven Van Zandt will miss some shows with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band after undergoing surgery for appendicitis. The 74-year-old guitarist and mandolin player assumed he had a bout of food poisoning, but it ended up being painful inflammation of the appendix. The musician and Sopranos legend has had successful surgery at a hospital in San Sebastian, Spain, and is hoping to be recovered enough to reunite with his band mates in Milan, Italy, on either of their shows on June 30 or July 3. He announced on X: "Got a sharp pain in my stomach, thought it was food poisoning, turned out to be appendicitis. Got lucky with an exceptional hospital in San Sebastian. Operation was a complete success and I'm hoping to get back on stage for at least one of the shows in Milan. Thank you all for all the good vibes. See you soon." The Boss and co play Milan on Tuesday night and Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on June 27. There is no word on who will step in for Van Zandt. Meanwhile, Springsteen is set to release Tracks II: The Lost Albums, an 83-track box set, on June 27. "The Lost Albums were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released. I've played this music to myself and often close friends for years now. I'm glad you'll get a chance to finally hear them. I hope you enjoy them," he said. And there is more to come, with Tracks III ready to go and five more albums in the series. "(There are) five full albums of music," Springsteen told The New York Times. "There was a lot of good music left." Steven Van Zandt will miss some shows with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band after undergoing surgery for appendicitis. The 74-year-old guitarist and mandolin player assumed he had a bout of food poisoning, but it ended up being painful inflammation of the appendix. The musician and Sopranos legend has had successful surgery at a hospital in San Sebastian, Spain, and is hoping to be recovered enough to reunite with his band mates in Milan, Italy, on either of their shows on June 30 or July 3. He announced on X: "Got a sharp pain in my stomach, thought it was food poisoning, turned out to be appendicitis. Got lucky with an exceptional hospital in San Sebastian. Operation was a complete success and I'm hoping to get back on stage for at least one of the shows in Milan. Thank you all for all the good vibes. See you soon." The Boss and co play Milan on Tuesday night and Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on June 27. There is no word on who will step in for Van Zandt. Meanwhile, Springsteen is set to release Tracks II: The Lost Albums, an 83-track box set, on June 27. "The Lost Albums were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released. I've played this music to myself and often close friends for years now. I'm glad you'll get a chance to finally hear them. I hope you enjoy them," he said. And there is more to come, with Tracks III ready to go and five more albums in the series. "(There are) five full albums of music," Springsteen told The New York Times. "There was a lot of good music left." Steven Van Zandt will miss some shows with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band after undergoing surgery for appendicitis. The 74-year-old guitarist and mandolin player assumed he had a bout of food poisoning, but it ended up being painful inflammation of the appendix. The musician and Sopranos legend has had successful surgery at a hospital in San Sebastian, Spain, and is hoping to be recovered enough to reunite with his band mates in Milan, Italy, on either of their shows on June 30 or July 3. He announced on X: "Got a sharp pain in my stomach, thought it was food poisoning, turned out to be appendicitis. Got lucky with an exceptional hospital in San Sebastian. Operation was a complete success and I'm hoping to get back on stage for at least one of the shows in Milan. Thank you all for all the good vibes. See you soon." The Boss and co play Milan on Tuesday night and Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on June 27. There is no word on who will step in for Van Zandt. Meanwhile, Springsteen is set to release Tracks II: The Lost Albums, an 83-track box set, on June 27. "The Lost Albums were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released. I've played this music to myself and often close friends for years now. I'm glad you'll get a chance to finally hear them. I hope you enjoy them," he said. And there is more to come, with Tracks III ready to go and five more albums in the series. "(There are) five full albums of music," Springsteen told The New York Times. "There was a lot of good music left."
