“He could be very insulting”: The ‘Nasty’ Actor in ‘The Sopranos’ Almost Convinced Michael Imperioli to Leave the Series Before They Became Best Friends

Michael Imperioli was one of the slew of stars who made a name for themselves via The Sopranos. Imperioli was seen in the series playing the trigger-happy young mobster, Christopher Moltisanti, who undergoes an incredible arc through the six seasons, before being killed off by James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano.

However, long before his arc culminated in a resounding death in the season 6 episode Kennedy and Heidi, Imperioli flirted with the idea of leaving the series. It was all due to tensions with co-star Tony Sirico, who played Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri. Sirico’s real-life connections to organized crime and his intimidating demeanor initially made Imperioli uneasy. However, this rocky start eventually transformed into a deep and lasting friendship.

Michael Imperioli was well aware of Tony Sirico before The Sopranos

Before joining The Sopranos, both actors had crossed paths, but their interactions were far from amicable. Michael Imperioli recalls feeling intimidated by Sirico, noting, 

He could be very insulting and nasty – and when I heard I’d gotta do this series with him, I wasn’t looking forward to it.

Sirico’s past involvement with the Colombo crime family and multiple arrests, including time served in Sing Sing prison, contributed to his formidable reputation. (via The Guardian)

However, despite initial apprehensions, the dynamic between Imperioli and Sirico evolved positively. Their characters’ interactions, especially in episodes like “Pine Barrens,” where Christopher and Paulie find themselves lost in the woods, showcased their on-screen chemistry. Imperioli reflected on these experiences, emphasizing how such challenging scenes contributed to their bond.

Imperioli eventually became close friends with Tony Sirico

Imperioli attributes the success of The Sopranos to the unique chemistry among its cast members. He suggests that the combination of their backgrounds and the timing of the series led to an unparalleled friendship off the screen as well. 

It’s like alchemy. We just liked being together. It was family.

The successful dynamic on set obviously resulted in one of the most popular crime dramas of all time. Imperioli hailed the influence of James Gandolfini, who died at the age of 51, back in 2013. Claiming that it was one of the “worst days of his life,” the actor revealed that Gandolfini and Sirico eventually became his closest friends from The Sopranos.

The series remains available to stream on Max and Hulu. 

This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire