The Sopranos
HBO’sThe Sopranos , an action - packed drama series about the daily lives of a New Jersey crime family , began its pilot episode with a gang party boss in his bathrobe , looking at some ducks . In the hands of a less originative squad , this show would be doom to fail .
But in the more - than - capable workforce of David Chase and co. , it was the beginning of a different kind of gangster narrative — mayhap the greatest mobster story ever enjoin — with a stronger focus on the psychological science of the character reference than we unremarkably get to see . Here are 10 Behind - The - Scenes Facts AboutThe Sopranos .
Jamie-Lynn Sigler initially thought it was a show about opera singers
When Jamie - Lynn Sigler was first send the material forThe Sopranosbefore she auditioned to play Meadow , she have a go at it nothing about the show other than its claim . Based on that , she recall it was a show about opera singers .
HBO feared that audiences would think the same affair , and tried to have the claim changed toMade in New Jersey . They eventually compromise with David Chase . He would be able to call the showThe Sopranos , but he would have to put an range of a function of a gun in the series ’ logotype to let viewers know about its violent topic matter .
James Gandolfini gave each cast member money from his own pocket to settle salary disputes
Whenever a television show reaches a certain point of popularity , the principal thespian tend to ask for more money . This has happened with the mould of every show fromThe SimpsonstoModern Family , andThe Sopranoswas no different . After Season 4 , the actors began demand larger paychecks , and HBO turn down to pay up , so product of the next time of year was delayed .
In edict to settle down the pay disputes and get the series back on cut for its then - forthcoming 5th season , James Gandolfini gave each of his fellow cast members a aggregate of $ 33,333 out of his own pocket .
Lorraine Bracco was originally offered the role of Carmela Soprano
in the beginning , Lorraine Bracco was offer the role of Carmela Soprano , but the actress experience that the “ ring married woman ” use was too interchangeable to Karen Hill , her character in Martin Scorsese’sGoodfellas . She asked to flirt Dr. Melfi alternatively , cipher that part would be more of a challenge .
David Chase has made no secret of the fact thatGoodfellaswas a monumental influence on the look and feel ofThe Sopranos . His top pick to act as Tony Soprano was Ray Liotta , who played the lead purpose of Henry Hill in Scorsese ’s chef-d’oeuvre . However , Liotta did n’t want to intrust to a TV serial . He was later in talks to portray Ralph Cifaretto , but those talk strike down through .
David Chase conceived The Sopranos as a movie
The Sopranosoriginated as a pic pitch by David Chase . He wanted to make a feature article - length movie about a gangster who starts see a shrink , and even write the first scripts for the series as a movie . Chase ’s manager experience that the characters in the script were so rich and well - developed that they merit more time to grow , and encourage him to make over the moving picture into a video series .
So , Chase dug back into the hand , retooled it to be more open - ended to permit for succeeding storylines , pitched it as a series to HBO , and the rest , as they say , is chronicle .
Drea de Matteo had to spend four hours in hair and makeup before filming
Before filming any of her scenes , Drea de Matteo had to spend four hours in hair and makeup . It took two 60 minutes to puff up her haircloth to give her a classic “ rabble girl ” look to play Adriana La Cerva , the girlfriend and subsequently fiancée of Christopher Moltisanti . It would take an extra two 60 minutes to cover up her tattoos with constitution if her arms , leg , or trunk were on display .
De Matteo has since gone on to play Angie Bolen onDesperate Housewivesand Wendy Case , the meth - addicted ex - wife of Jax and mother of his son , onSons of Anarchy .
“Junior” was Tony Sirico’s own gangster nickname
The rabble nickname give to Corrado Soprano , “ Junior , ” was taken from the veridical - aliveness nickname of Tony Sirico , who play Paulie “ Walnuts ” Gualtieri on the show . Before becoming an worker , in his younger days , Sirico had actually been a gangster working for a criminal offence family . He previously served clip in prison house for robbery , and has a rap sheet with a total of 28 taking into custody , as he explained in the documentaryThe Big Bang .
Sirico only agreed to play Paulie if the author promised they would never make him a “ dirty dog , ” or an informant , because the family considers informant to be the low of the low .
David Chase wrote the role of Silvio Dante specifically for Steven Van Zandt
Having been a recollective - time devotee of Steven Van Zandt ’s music , ferment with the banding the scallywag , The Sopranoscreator David Chase had always wanted to compose a part for him to roleplay . He involve Van Zandt to audition to play Tony Soprano , despite the fact he had no performing experience .
Van Zandt did n’t want to take the function away from an actual working thespian , so Chase write the role of Silvio Dante specifically for him . The character was base on a character with the same name that appeared in a little story that Van Zandt write and showed to Chase .
Drea de Matteo didn’t know she was getting killed off until she saw the script
Drea de Matteo had no idea that her character Adriana would n’t make it to the end of the series until she saw the script in which she was killed off . Despite her modified exposure in the final season , she still managed to gain ground an Emmy for it .
The hit on Adriana is believed to have been inspired by the real - aliveness 1979 killing of Theresa Ferrara . Ferrara was the schoolmarm of a feared mobster and became an informant after getting get sell drugs to an undercover agent . Three month after leaving her post at the beauty salon where she figure out to hang a mysterious meeting , her dismembered cadaver was regain .
Nancy Marchand’s death disrupted a major Tony/Livia storyline
In the first twosome of seasons ofThe Sopranos , Tony ’s troubled relationship with his female parent Livia was the crux of the matter of the tale . In Season 3 , David Chase had plan a major plot line in which Tony struggled to stop Livia from testifying against him in courtroom .
However , Nancy Marchand , who played Livia on the show , snuff it between the 2d and third season . This forced Chase to rethink a huge portion of the Season 3 story arc . Marchand ’s face had to be placed onto a torso two-fold using CGI essence to give her character a fitting ending in the show ’s third season .
James Gandolfini was really committed to giving an authentic performance
James Gandolfini was really , really dedicated to giving an authentic performance in the role of Tony Soprano . For any scene that required him to get angry , he ’d put a minuscule stone in his shoe to drive him unhinged during each take . And before a couplet of breakfast scenes , he would quell up all dark to have a shopworn , groggy look for the scene .
This is how icons are created . Gandolfini sound out that he would often be contacted by real - life gangster to congratulate him on his convincing carrying out and the authenticity of the show , while also offering him a few cursor .
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