On January 10, 1999, audiences were first introduced to Tony Soprano via a panic attack the character had in the first episode of The Sopranos. Right off the bat, James Gandolfini, who played Tony and passed away in 2013, was enigmatic, complex, and violent; even if audiences didn’t know the whys and hows, they were hooked by him alone. Twenty-five years later, The Sopranos has garnered an even larger fanbase and people have developed an even deeper appreciation for the intricacies of the late actor’s character. According to the show’s creator, David Chase, while James Gandolfini wasn’t cruel and ruthless like Tony, he had his own complexities that became obvious during his audition for the role.
David Chase, whose characters served as the basis for the Sopranos prequel, recently provided intriguing insight into how some aspects of his own life influenced parts of the show, like Tony’s therapy sessions with Dr. Melfi or the controversial ending of The Sopranos. Then, when asked about James Gandolfini, the creator had nothing but kind words to say, making it clear that he still admires the actor’s genius, and immediately saw the talent he had from the first audition on. But, while gifted, the actor did make it hard to move forward in the audition process in a few ways, primarily because he was too hard on himself.
Here’s what the show creator elaborated on when asked if James Gandolfini’s audition was impressive by TV Insider:
Sure, but it wasn’t easy. He showed up, then he left; he was supposed to come in again, but he didn’t make it. Finally we brought him to Santa Monica and taped him in my garage and he was great. During production, Jim would [sometimes] rage, 'I suck, I suck!' But it was obvious how great he was. He allowed the drama and the comedy to come forth in such a way that you go anywhere with it.
Additionally, Chase mentioned how important it was for fans to care about Tony so that they – both fans and creators – could really dig deep into the human exploration parts of the show. With that type of expectation, it’s no wonder why the actor was so tough on himself. He understood how complex of a role it was, and only wanted to provide the best of himself that was possible. Thankfully, it seems he actually exceeded expectations more than he probably realized.
The Sopranos is a rare type of gem that other shows on television can only try to emulate. Many still consider it to still be one of the best shows that can be streamed on Max and are even still haunted by the (possible) shocking death that turned the lights out on the series for the last time – which is impossible for most shows to achieve today. Even if we never get anything else like it, fortunately, you can check out The Sopranos in its glorious entirety with a Max subscription.
