This website collects cookies to deliver better user experience. Cookie Policy
Accept
Sign In
The Wall Street Publication
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Reading: In his dad’s footsteps, Michael Gandolfini finds his own way
Share
The Wall Street PublicationThe Wall Street Publication
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.
The Wall Street Publication > Blog > Entertainment > In his dad’s footsteps, Michael Gandolfini finds his own way
Entertainment

In his dad’s footsteps, Michael Gandolfini finds his own way

Editorial Board Published October 1, 2021
Share
In his dad’s footsteps, Michael Gandolfini finds his own way
SHARE

NEW YORK (AP) – Michael Gandolfini‘s face is thinner. His hair is thicker. His presence gentler. But there’s no mistaking it. He looks like his dad.

It’s something he‘s heard many times in his 22 years, especially recently. In “The Many Saints of Newark,” the “Sopranos” prequel, Michael plays a teenage Tony Soprano, inhabiting the indelible mob boss played by his father, James Gandolfini.

Like many, Gandolfini has mixed feelings about hearing that he looks like his dad. But mostly he feels proud.

“It makes me feel really good because I love my dad,” Gandolfini says, smiling softly. “Sometimes I get insecure. I hope I don’t just get cast as my dad lookalike. Sometimes I think: Am I only good because I look my dad? Or am I good because I did all the work?”

In “The Many Saints of Newark,” which debuted in theaters and on HBO Max on Friday, Gandolfini put in a kind of work that went beyond playing the part – which, considering Tony Soprano is arguably the greatest protagonist in television history, was already a tall order. Stepping into his father’s shoes meant getting to know his dad in a new way, just as Gandolfini was – and still is – finding his own direction as a performer.

“Being in this world, playing this character, it connected me to my dad as an actor – actor to actor – guessing what he went through, and understanding a little more what he went through for nine years and being really proud of him for that,” Gandolfini said in an interview the day after the New York premiere of “The Many Saints of Newark.”

Gandolfini was just 4 months old when “The Sopranos” debuted on HBO and 8 years old when the final episode aired. Before embarking on “The Many Saints of Newark,” he had never seen the series. After his father died of a heart attack in 2013 at age 51, he never found the right time to sit down and watch it.

“I knew nothing about Tony. I had never seen the show,” says Gandolfini. “If my dad was a contractor, I wouldn’t want to see the house he built. I kind of was like: I’ll watch it one day. When he passed, it was going to become a thing to watch it. It was going to be painful.”

Gandolfini acted in high-school musicals growing up in Los Angeles. (He lived there with his mother, Marcy Wudarski; she and James Gandolfini divorced in 2002.) He briefly studied acting at New York University. But much of Gandolfini‘s acting education has come on sets. He played a busboy in “Ocean’s Eight” (2018) and appeared in 10 episodes of HBO’s “The Deuce.”

Meanwhile, David Chase, the creator of “The Sopranos” and co-writer of “The Many Saints of Newark,” had been struggling to cast young Tony. It’s a supporting role in the ‘60s-’70s-set film; the protagonist is Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola), father to Christopher and father figure to Tony. The “Sopranos” director Tim Van Patten mentioned to Chase that Gandolfini might be a natural fit. They met.

“He seemed totally different than his father to me that day,” says Chase. “Totally different.”

“I got it into my head that it was going to work, period,” Chase explains. “He auditioned three times, none of which I remember, and I think the reason I don’t remember is because I had already made my mind up. It had to be him.”

The audition process, though, was a relief to Gandolfini. Instead of suddenly being faced with the intimidating prospect of playing his father’s defining role, he spent three months mulling it over and getting more familiar with the character.

“I was hesitant. But I thought: I’m not in a position – and am still not in a position – to turn down auditions,” says Gandolfini, who has a part in “Hereditary” director Ari Aster’s next film.

It also meant Gandolfini finally caught up to “The Sopranos,” and saw his dad in a whole new light. His father, who had a tortured relationship with the character, had shielded his son from Tony Soprano.

“That was one of the greatest parts of this. I got to become a fan of ‘The Sopranos.’ I got to watch it for the first time. I got to learn that it was funny. I had no idea,” says Gandolfini. “Tony Soprano to me was my dad in a robe, eating lunch on his break.”

Once production started, Gandolfini‘s focus was on finding Tony Soprano, not trying to play his father.

“Most of the time, if I was doing anything with him, it was to pull him back a little bit from his father and remind him that this character isn’t him yet, he’s still got some of that softness and sensitivity,” says director Alan Taylor.

In the film, Tony‘s mafioso future isn’t yet a foregone conclusion. He‘s a good, sweet kid into rock ‘n’ roll, partly a victim to the life he‘s born into. Destiny weighs heavily.

“The striking thing about Michael when you meet him is how gentle he is and how warm and generous and gracious he is,” says Taylor, who directed a number of “Sopranos” episodes. “That’s not the first thing that radiated off Jimmy. He is those things, but there’s a powerful, brutish thing that comes with that. Meeting Michael, I realized this guy is this way because he must have been loved to pieces by his parents.”

James Gandolfini, who grew up in New Jersey the son of a bricklayer and school lunch lady, often spoke self-deprecatingly about acting. He was fond of saying it was his job to wear someone else’s pants. Michael Gandolfini‘s motivation comes from somewhere different. His fascination with the craft, he says, came from sitting in the audience, not standing on the stage.

“I remember sitting in the audience in my first acting class thinking: How do you do that? How do you get up on stage and become another person? I think that’s what I’m still chasing,” says Gandolfini.

“I mean, I think part of that is because of my dad. What was he doing? Where was he on set when I was young?” adds Gandolfini. “The thing that drives me forward is I keep wanting to learn and figure out how to be a good actor. That’s the hunger I have.”

Sign up for Daily Newsletters

Copyright © 2021 The Washington Times, LLC.

TAGGED:EntertainmentWall Street Publication
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Is Sheryl Sandberg’s Power Shrinking? Ten Years of Facebook Data Offers Clues Is Sheryl Sandberg’s Power Shrinking? Ten Years of Facebook Data Offers Clues
Next Article Top brass expose Biden’s biggest Afghanistan lies Top brass expose Biden’s biggest Afghanistan lies

Editor's Pick

Nicki Minaj Calls Cardi B’s Daughter ‘Ugly’; Cardi Shoots Again That Nicki’s Son Is Nonverbal Because of Drug Use Throughout Being pregnant

Nicki Minaj Calls Cardi B’s Daughter ‘Ugly’; Cardi Shoots Again That Nicki’s Son Is Nonverbal Because of Drug Use Throughout Being pregnant

Studying Time: 3 minutes The Nicki Minaj vs. Cardi B beef has been occurring for years. Like, mainly for so…

By Editorial Board 4 Min Read
Maggie Baugh: Every part We Know About Keith City’s Rumored New Girlfriend
Maggie Baugh: Every part We Know About Keith City’s Rumored New Girlfriend

Studying Time: 3 minutes Is Keith City hooking up together with his…

4 Min Read
Map: See the place California FAIR Plan seeks house insurance coverage fee hikes
Map: See the place California FAIR Plan seeks house insurance coverage fee hikes

The FAIR Plan, California’s last-resort insurance coverage program for owners needing fireplace…

5 Min Read

Oponion

Steve Scalise: Biden exacerbating labor shortage with ‘socialist agenda’

Steve Scalise: Biden exacerbating labor shortage with ‘socialist agenda’

U.S. employers are still struggling to find workers six weeks…

October 17, 2021

The Secret Power of Reconnecting With Old Friends

Earlier in the pandemic, Kevin Masters…

November 16, 2021

PETER TURCIOS THE UNDEFEATED WORLD BOXING CHAMPION IS THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF TMC PROMOTIONS

Peter Turcios is a professional undefeated…

March 23, 2022

Airlines Gird for Thanksgiving Travel Test After Rocky Year

Thanksgiving will test whether airlines have…

November 19, 2021

Shapiro calls Vance’s Pennsylvania voter fraud declare ‘bull—-‘

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro dismissed a…

November 1, 2024

You Might Also Like

Nicole Kidman Makes Daring Divorce Assertion with Daughters, Hair
Entertainment

Nicole Kidman Makes Daring Divorce Assertion with Daughters, Hair

Studying Time: 4 minutes Nicole Kidman isn’t hiding amidst her divorce from Keith City. And his obvious efforts to publicly…

6 Min Read
Donald Trump Hates on Dangerous Bunny, New NFL Kickoff Guidelines
Entertainment

Donald Trump Hates on Dangerous Bunny, New NFL Kickoff Guidelines

Studying Time: 3 minutes Add President Donald Trump to the record of people who find themselves upset in regards to…

4 Min Read
Dolly Parton’s Sister Asks for Prayer Amid Singer’s Medical Disaster
Entertainment

Dolly Parton’s Sister Asks for Prayer Amid Singer’s Medical Disaster

Studying Time: 3 minutes We've got an unlucky replace about Dolly Parton. A couple of week after the legendary singer…

4 Min Read
Meghan Markle Accused of Laughing at Trend Week Mannequin Who Tripped on the Runway
Entertainment

Meghan Markle Accused of Laughing at Trend Week Mannequin Who Tripped on the Runway

Studying Time: 3 minutes Meghan Markle is presently in Paris for town’s fall vogue week, and it appears there’s nowhere…

4 Min Read
The Wall Street Publication

About Us

The Wall Street Publication, a distinguished part of the Enspirers News Group, stands as a beacon of excellence in journalism. Committed to delivering unfiltered global news, we pride ourselves on our trusted coverage of Politics, Business, Technology, and more.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?