20 Shocking Secrets About The Sopranos Revealed

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Tony Soprano famously stated, “Those who want respect, give respect,” and even now, 27 years later, people continue to admire and appreciate The Sopranos.

Many consider The Sopranos to be one of the greatest TV shows ever made. It first aired on HBO on January 10, 1999, and introduced viewers to the complex character of Tony Soprano, played by the late James Gandolfini, along with his family – wife Carmela (Edie Falco) and children Meadow (Jamie Lynn Sigler) and Anthony Jr. (Robert Iler) – and the dangerous lives of his fellow mobsters.

The crime drama, created by David Chase, aired for six seasons and received critical acclaim, winning 21 Emmy Awards and 5 Golden Globes. It’s also remembered for having one of the most talked-about series finales in television history – famously set to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Though, yes, it was meant to be the bada bing, bada boom end for Tony Soprano. 

Chase later explained to The Hollywood Reporter that he didn’t expect the sudden ending to cause such a strong reaction. He was particularly bothered by how many viewers wanted to see Tony Stark die a gruesome death – specifically, falling face-first into a plate of pasta. “That bothered me,” he said.

Although The Sopranos concluded its 86-episode run in 2007, fans returned to the world of the show in 2021 with the release of The Many Saints of Newark. This prequel film featured Michael Gandolfini, James Gandolfini’s son, playing a young Tony Soprano.

Rumors continue about a possible spinoff series. Chase signed a five-year agreement to create shows for HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros., so it’s definitely a possibility. Any inside information?

Even though there aren’t any new projects on the horizon right now, fans still have plenty to enjoy with all the content that’s already available.

To mark its 25th anniversary in 2024, HBO released previously unseen deleted scenes and more behind-the-scenes content from the popular series as a celebration.

Even though we don’t have any ziti, we’ve got some interesting behind-the-scenes stories about The Sopranos, like when the cast protested and Lady Gaga made a surprise appearance.

David Chase first imagined his story – about a mobster in therapy dealing with his mother – as a movie with Robert De Niro in the lead role.

He recounted to Tom Fontana, in a May 2007 interview for Written By, that a few years after initially proposing the idea, he had one of his first meetings at Brillstein-Grey. After the meeting, his manager, Lloyd Braun, told him, ‘We think you have a great television series within you.’ He admitted he’d never considered himself capable of that. He wasn’t particularly interested in creating a series, but he was genuinely touched by Braun’s confidence and believed he was being sincere.

He sold the initial script to Fox in 1995, but they rejected it, as did all other networks. Fortunately, HBO stepped in and decided to produce it, leading to the creation of The Sopranos.

Most people can’t picture anyone but James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, but the show’s creator, David Chase, originally thought Steve Van Zandt – a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band – would be perfect for the part.

In 2012, Chase told Vanity Fair that when Steven spoke at the Rascals’ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction on VH1, he was incredibly funny and captivating. Chase immediately turned to his wife and said, ‘We have to cast that guy in the show!’

Van Zandt remembers his audition and a humorous moment he shared while waiting with James Gandolfini.

Van Zandt wasn’t sure why Jimmy was present. He wondered if HBO had decided against casting him due to his lack of acting experience – which they later explained to David – or if Jimmy was auditioning for a different role. He never bothered to ask Jimmy directly.

Van Zandt, of course, went on to star as Silvio Dante on the series for its entire run.

It’s hard to imagine anyone but Robert De Niro as Tony Soprano, and just as difficult to picture anyone other than Edie Falco as his wife, Carmela. Interestingly, Lorraine Bracco was originally considered for the role of Carmela.

Following the success of GoodFellas, I was flooded with offers to play various Mafia-related female characters – wives, girlfriends, daughters, you name it,” Bracco explained to Vanity Fair. “But I turned them all down, telling everyone I’d already played that type of role and didn’t want to repeat myself. I actually called my agent the day before meeting with David [Chase] and specifically requested the part of Dr. Melfi instead of Carmela Soprano.

Although The Sopranos centered around the mafia, it also explored themes of mental health, particularly through Tony’s therapy sessions with Dr. Melfi. Interestingly, the show’s creator, David Chase, based the character on his own personal experiences.

In a 2006 interview with Rolling Stone, James Gandolfini shared that his former therapist, Lorraine Kaufman, who practiced in Los Angeles, was the inspiration for the character of Dr. Melfi. He explained that she had a similar knack for seeing through deception.

He went on to reveal Dr. Kaufman also helped him develop several other characters.

He explained that after a few seasons of the show, a writer provided him with a detailed analysis of the Soprano family’s dynamics. He clarified it wasn’t a rigid guide, but they occasionally referenced it. Interestingly, the characters often acted in ways she had predicted, even though they’d sometimes forgotten she’d made those observations.

Drea de Matteo became well-known for her role as Adriana La Cerva on the show, though she almost didn’t get the part.

You know, when I first auditioned for ‘The Sopranos,’ one of the casting directors, Chase, actually told me I didn’t quite look Italian enough for the role! It sounds funny now, but at the time, I was a little thrown. I honestly thought we were casting for an opera, so I’d kept my look very simple – hair pulled back, no trace of my usual New York accent. I really wasn’t prepared for the world of mob wives! If I’d known what the show was really about, I definitely would have brought a different energy to that audition.

Even though her initial audition wasn’t great, she landed a small part as a hostess and impressed Chase with how well she did.

Oh my gosh, it’s still so crazy to think about! I started on ‘The Sopranos’ just doing a day here and there, and then suddenly I was showing up more and more. Eventually, I became a regular! It was all thanks to David Chase, honestly. He just saw something in me. I didn’t even have to audition! Can you believe it? I really just got incredibly lucky – it feels like a dream still.

Throughout the TV series, Tony’s son, A.J., showed a troubling interest in the criminal world, and in 2001, real life began to mirror what was happening on screen.

During the third season of the show, Robert Iler, the actor who played the crime boss’s son, was arrested in New York City. He was accused of robbing two tourists from Brazil and possessing marijuana. Iler was just 16 years old at the time. He later admitted to theft and received three years of probation.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always been fascinated by the pressures of fame, and it’s something Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who played Meadow on The Sopranos, bravely opened up about. She shared that during the show’s early years, she struggled with exercise bulimia, and it became a way for her to feel in control. Thankfully, she was able to overcome it, and she actually credits some of the show’s producers with helping her on that journey. It’s a powerful reminder that even those we see as having it all can face hidden battles, and seeking support is key.

Edie Falco, known for her role in The Sopranos, explained in a 2015 interview with the Huffington Post that the show’s creators asked her to gain weight. They were worried about her health, but also felt she didn’t quite fit the image of someone from an Italian family who regularly ate pasta. This request ultimately made her reflect on her own relationship with food and body image.

In its first year of eligibility, The Sopranos made history as the first cable TV show to be nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Then, in 2004, it broke new ground again by becoming the first show of its kind to actually win the award, after being nominated four times previously.

This groundbreaking show didn’t just popularize complex, flawed characters on television; it also launched the careers of many influential creators and producers. These individuals went on to develop popular series like Mad Men (Matthew Weiner), Boardwalk Empire (Terence Winter), Damages (Todd A. Kessler), Girls (Ilene S. Landress), and Chicago Med (Diane Frolov).

Although most of the show was filmed at Silvercup Studios in Queens, the production team did occasionally film scenes on location in New York and New Jersey. Notably, the famous Bada-Bing strip club scenes were actually filmed at Satin Dolls, a club located on State Route 17 in Lodi, New Jersey.

David Chase chose Nancy Marchand to play Tony Soprano’s mother, Livia, fully aware of her declining health and that she wouldn’t be able to continue on the show for very long.

According to Ed Falco, Nancy Reagan secretly battled cancer throughout their time working together, but no one discussed it. In 2012, Falco recounted Nancy telling her husband, David, that she wanted to continue working because it gave her a reason to live.

It was so heartbreaking when Nancy Marchand, who played Livia, passed away from lung cancer and emphysema back in 2000. We were already deep into writing season three at the time, and it really threw us for a loop. Knowing how vital Livia was to Tony’s story, David Chase felt strongly about honoring her character with a meaningful exit. It was a challenge, of course, but we got creative! We actually used footage from previous scenes she’d already filmed, and in some cases, used CGI to place her face onto another actress’ body to complete her final appearances. It was a way to give her the send-off she deserved and stay true to the story.

This was one of the earliest times computer-generated imagery was used to replace an actor, but critics didn’t like it.

“Avert your eyes,” Slate wrote of the episode, “the scene is excruciating to watch.”

To prepare for his iconic role as Paulie Walnuts, Tony Sirico drew heavily from his own life experiences. Before becoming an actor, he had a troubled past, with 28 arrests and multiple convictions leading to two prison sentences.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was reportedly connected to Jimmy “Green Eyes” Clemenza, a high-ranking member of the Colombo crime family. In 1999, while Clemenza was being watched by the FBI, he and his Sopranos co-star Vincent Pastore were seen with Clemenza and his brother at a Christmas party in Little Italy.

Production of The Sopranos stopped after its fourth season because of a disagreement over pay with HBO. According to a 2012 Vanity Fair oral history, the cast and crew staged a protest on set—dubbed “Occupy Vesuvio”—until James Gandolfini personally contributed some of his salary to resolve the issue and allow filming to continue.

Actor Steven Schirripa shared that Jim gathered everyone who worked with him regularly inside his trailer and surprisingly gave each of them $33,333 as a thank you for their loyalty.

According to Terence Winter, the show’s executive producer, even actual mobsters were viewers and were impressed by how realistic it was, as he shared in an interview with Vanity Fair.

I remember reading an interview where someone said that back in the day, the FBI office would buzz on Monday mornings about The Sopranos. Apparently, after a weekend of listening to wiretaps on actual mobsters, they’d find the guys were also talking about the show! It was wild – the same conversations we were having, but from their perspective. They genuinely thought we had a mole inside, giving us the inside scoop, because the show was just that realistic.

James Gandolfini, while appearing on Inside the Actors Studio, shared a surprising story about feedback he received while playing Tony Soprano. He said he got several calls from actual mobsters praising his performance. One caller, early in the series, even critiqued Tony’s outfit at a barbecue in the first episode, telling Gandolfini, ‘A boss never wears shorts.’ Gandolfini said that after that call, Tony Soprano never wore shorts on the show again.

In late 2002, James Gandolfini struggled with personal issues that became public during his divorce proceedings, revealing he was facing difficulties.

According to his wife, James Gandolfini battled worsening problems with drugs and alcohol, and the couple often argued. Author Brett Martin detailed in his 2013 book, Difficult Men, as reported by GQ, that Gandolfini would sometimes punch himself in the face when frustrated. Those who saw him struggle with lines on set—where he’d harshly criticize himself, swear, and even hit the back of his own head—found this behavior sadly believable.

After his wife, Marcy, filed for divorce in 2002, a spokesperson for James Gandolfini acknowledged that the actor had previously battled with drug and alcohol issues, but stated that those problems were behind him.

James Gandolfini had a frustrating habit of unexpectedly not showing up for work, and sometimes wouldn’t even call to explain. On one occasion in 2002, he vanished for four days, which cost the show a significant amount of money. People involved began to fear the worst, even worrying he might be dead. Then, out of the blue, the production office received a call from him – he was calling from a beauty salon in Brooklyn.

According to Brett Martin in his book Difficult Men, an actor unexpectedly walked into the building and asked to use the phone. He dialed the only number he could recall and requested that whoever answered send a car to take him home.

Even though John Gotti, the famous mob boss, was in prison for life when The Sopranos first aired, he still managed to have an impact on the show, beyond just its general focus on the mafia.

According to a 2009 article in The Guardian about Steve Van Zandt, when he was cast as Silvio Dante, he contacted John Gotti’s tailor and asked him to make his custom suits for the show.

Beyond sharing similar themes with the iconic 1990 film Goodfellas, The Sopranos had a significant connection to it through its cast. Six of the show’s main actors—including Bracco, Pastore, Sirico, Michael Imperioli, and Frank Vincent—also appeared in the film. Additionally, ten actors who had recurring roles on The Sopranos, and eleven guest stars, were also in Goodfellas.

Ray Liotta revealed in a 2001 interview on the Today show that he declined a role on the program, choosing instead to concentrate on his work in movies.

After working on Goodfellas, I felt that film really captured the essence of everyday mafia life,” he explained in a 2003 interview with The GW Hatchet. “Because The Sopranos was built around that same idea, I didn’t think I could bring anything new to the table. It just didn’t feel like the right project for me.”

And while he said he loved Gandolfini, Liotta admitted, “But my ego’s as big as anybody’s.”

I was so excited to discover that Lady Gaga’s acting career actually started way back in 2001! She was only 15 when she landed a small role on an HBO series. She played a character called ‘Girl at Swimming Pool #2’ and even got a moment where she laughs with other students when some mischievous kids throw their teacher’s desk into the pool – it’s a fun little scene, and amazing to see where she started!

Despite later becoming a pop sensation, Lady Gaga wasn’t happy with her first acting role. She told Entertainment Weekly’s Awardist podcast in 2021 that her appearance on The Sopranos wasn’t one of her proudest moments.

“When I look back on that scene, I can see exactly what I did wrong in that scene,” she shared. “I didn’t know how to listen in a scene! I was supposed to laugh, and it was sort of like, cue, laugh…. I see it and I go, ‘Oh, that’s not a real laugh!'”

Lady Gaga wasn’t the only surprise face on the show! The Sopranos also featured brief appearances by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Michael B. Jordan, Chandra Wilson, Will Arnett, and Tony Hale.

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2026-01-10 11:19