The cast of The Sopranos since the show ended

[phungi]

phungal and I were watching TV when the commercial for 1800 Tequila came on. She said "what ever happened to him, which got us talking about The Sopranos and what they have done since the show ended in 2007.

Gandolfini: no major roles since
Falco: Nurse Jackie
Imperioli: a few TV roles
Bracco: a few TV roles
Chianese: TV roles, including Boardwalk Empire
Sigler: a few TV shows and movies, including Entourage and Ugly Betty
Iler: basically nothing

in short, while there is definitely a "body of work" for many of the actors, few real "break-out" roles or lead jobs since the show, other than for Falco.

Was everyone associated forever type-cast?

[Bob Ducca]

I believe Gandolfini has been doing a lot of theater work in NY. I get the impression that he's very happy doing something with a lower profile than The Sopranos for a change.

[Dewey Finn]

I agree; it's not a matter of being typecast as it is that a successful role like that gives the actors the financial and creative freedom to pursue whatever they want.

[Barkis is Willin']

In Robert Iler's case, he seems like a genuine loser and not a very good actor, to boot.

[Earl Snake-Hips Tucker]

Paulie Walnuts will star in the soon-to-be-released Jersey Shore Shark Attack.

[Dewey Finn]

Originally Posted by Barkis is Willin'

In Robert Iler's case, he seems like a genuine loser and not a very good actor, to boot.

Yes, but a lucky bastard for getting cast in that show. (The one actor I'd say is luckier is the kid who plays Jake in Two And A Half Men.)

[DCnDC]

Van Zandt has his own series.

[Alessan]

Originally Posted by DCnDC

Van Zandt has his own series.

He also has his day job.

[dolphinboy]

I think Gandolfini has had some movie roles... although I couldn't tell you which films he was in.

Given the power of his performance on the show I am surprised that he didn't break out as a popular film actor after the show ended.

In interviews he seems like such an unassuming guy I wonder if the success he had on the Sopranos was enough for him... I can certainly imagine him playing dramatic roles on Broadway if he wanted to.

[fiddlesticks]

As for Imperioli, both Detroit 1-8-7 and Life on Mars were critically well received but didn't generate good enough ratings to last.

Edie Falco certainly has the highest TV profile as she won an Emmy for the first season of Nurse Jackie, was nominated for the 2nd, and I'm sure will be nominated again...

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by phungi

Gandolfini: no major roles since

I think you've kind of made up your own defition of "major roles" here. He's appeared in about a dozen movies in various types of roles, had a starring role in a Broadway show (God of Carnage), and produced a couple of documentaries. It's true that not all of those things got a lot of hype, but he also doesn't need the money at this point and he can pretty much do what he wants from a career perspective. Some of those roles would have been a big deal for most other actors. Meanwhile it sounds like he just made a movie with David Chase (Twylyte Zones) that will be out later this year. You will probably hear a lot about that because of the link to The Sopranos.

When we have threads like this, it needs to be stressed that for most actors, a significant role in one movie or HBO series - nevermind a starring role in a very popular series that runs for six seasons - will be the highlight of your career. Very few actors go from one big-budget starring role to another- few get the chance and not all of them want to do that. They get a major role and then more or less go back to the kind of work they were already doing either by choice or necessity. You're kind of dismissing several people's careers because nothing else they did was as well known as the Sopranos, but very few shows get that big in the first place. Edie Falco has had some starring roles, Imperioli starred in a few TV series, and IMDb says Lorraine Bracco has a regular role on Rizzoli & Isles. It's a little unfair to lump Dominic Chianese into this category because he was almost 70 when the show began and had already had a very long career, and acting is a secondary thing for Little Steven. So I'd dispute the notion that most of these people were typecast.

[Barkis is Willin']

I was unfortunate enough to see Mr. Popper's Penguins recently, in which the only highlight was when I noticed one of Jim Carrey's bosses was Junior Soprano!

[Ashley Pomeroy]

Originally Posted by Marley23

When we have threads like this, it needs to be stressed that for most actors, a significant role in one movie or HBO series - nevermind a starring role in a very popular series that runs for six seasons - will be the highlight of your career.

I was going to wonder out loud if James Gandolfini was going to be the new Tom Sizemore - they were born within a couple of months of each other and have a similar vibe, although Gandolfini's larger. But looking at their respective IMDB listings I'm more impressed by Gandolfini; Sizemore seems to be trying to become a parody of him and has fallen very far in a few years. He's in loads of movies where he plays a one-name mob character. He currently has 17 in production, playing (amongst others) Bobby, Randy, Pickett, Robert, Sonny, Ernie, Glen, Lucky and, last but not least, Vito.

He's in Madoff: Made Off with America which is, according to it's IMDB trivia entry, "the largest Ponzi scheme in American history". Make of that what you will. He's gone from major roles in movies by Steven Spielberg, Tony and Ridley Scott, and Michael Bay, to the Insane Clown Posse's Big Money Ru$tla$. Either he really likes working, or he's had a really costly divorce*. Anyway, Gandolfini might still have a killer role in a major film for the ages, I suspect Sizemore will not.

* (reads IMDB biography) Oh, so *that's* why he needs the money.

[Bob Ducca]

Loraine Bracco had a pretty good career before The Sopranos (and was probably the biggest name in the cast when the thing started). She's been pretty quiet since then, but I think she stays pretty busy w/ her winery.

[Elendil's Heir]

Originally Posted by Ashley Pomeroy

...Sizemore seems to be trying to become a parody of him and has fallen very far in a few years....

Sizemore has had a metric shitload of personal problems, too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Siz...legal_problems

[cochrane]

Originally Posted by DCnDC

Van Zandt has his own series.

"Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in."

[fiddlesticks]

Ah, Sizemore, when his troubles started becoming front-page news in the entertainment papers he was the lead in a great Michael Mann TV show Robbery Homicide Division, which got canceled after 10 episodes. It didn't get great ratings, but surely wasn't helped by the bad publicity from Tom.

[Soylent Juicy]

Drea de Matteo (Adriana) was on "Joey" and seems to have worked steadily ever since.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005576/

[etv78]

Sizemore is playing a cop/politician giving the "5-0" a hard time.

[mhendo]

Originally Posted by fiddlesticks

As for Imperioli, both Detroit 1-8-7 and Life on Mars were critically well received but didn't generate good enough ratings to last.

I really liked Detroit 1-8-7, and was disappointed (but not incredibly surprised) when it didn't get enough ratings to hang around. Imperioli was good in it, too.

[DMark]

Funny you should mention this - on the most recent episode of Nurse Jackie, the woman who played Tony's sister, Janice, was Nurse Jackie's high-priced lawyer.

[Vinyl Turnip]

Fuhgeddaboudem!

[Bricker]

Originally Posted by mhendo

I really liked Detroit 1-8-7, and was disappointed (but not incredibly surprised) when it didn't get enough ratings to hang around. Imperioli was good in it, too.

Pardon the hijack.

The title "Detroit 1-8-7" drives me crazy. I take it as evidence that scriptwriters are only vaguely aware that there are places outside Los Angeles.

The show was about a police homicide unit solving murders in Detroit. So, naturally, the name Detroit 187 was a catchy thought -- show's set in Detroit, and the penal code for homicide starts with 187.

187. (a) Murder is the unlawful killing of a human being, or a
fetus, with malice aforethought.

Of course... that's the CALIFORNIA Penal Code.

Detroit being in Michigan, the relevant number is 750.316.

[Elendil's Heir]

Gangsta slang knows no state boundaries.

[Joey P]

Originally Posted by DMark

Funny you should mention this - on the most recent episode of Nurse Jackie, the woman who played Tony's sister, Janice, was Nurse Jackie's high-priced lawyer.

I was just going to mention that when I saw the thread title. That would be Aida Turturro. John's cousin IIRC.

[phungi]

I suppose that the observation in my OP was "for nearly all the characters, other than Falco, the Sopranos was their defining role" and "most of their major roles other than the Sopranos happened while the show was still on"... didn't know about Gandolfini moving to the stage. definitely enjoying the discussion.

[FuriousGeorge]

Originally Posted by Barkis is Willin'

I was unfortunate enough to see Mr. Popper's Penguins recently, in which the only highlight was when I noticed one of Jim Carrey's bosses was Junior Soprano!

on a m,,ore positove note, it was a pleasant surprise to see Junior (Dominic Chianese) as one of the Commodore's cronies in Boardwalk Empire.

[Stink Fish Pot]

Originally Posted by Bob Ducca

Loraine Bracco had a pretty good career before The Sopranos (and was probably the biggest name in the cast when the thing started). She's been pretty quiet since then, but I think she stays pretty busy w/ her winery.

You know, this explains ALOT. I always wondered why she spoke in the slow, deliberate speech pattern of a drunk, and now it makes sense!

With the exception of Robert Iler, Bracco was probably the worst actor on the series. Iler was a lucky little kid when he was cast, and the only reason he stuck around was because Chase didn't have him killed. He made me cringe every time he came on screen, and he still does on the DVDs. Bracco has been making me sick ever since Goodfellas. Even though she weighed about 150 lbs less than she did on the Sopranos, she still talked like she was a 33 1/3 rpm voice on a 45 rpm soundtrack.

Originally Posted by Soylent Juicy

Drea de Matteo (Adriana) was on "Joey" and seems to have worked steadily ever since.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005576/

This is a great mix of poster name/poster topic.

Gandolfini is a talented actor, and will have his pick for years to come. Falco is also a great actress, and can morph into different people instantly.

As for the rest of the main cast, I don't see much in the future (outside of mob-related themes). Most are simply too typecast and don't have Falco's talent to change.

This is all IMHO, of course. But Paulie will always be Paulie, Chris will always be Chris, etc.

I think part of the problem is that many of the cast members continued their Soprano persona long after they left the show. Big Pussy was on the show for two years, and still is referred to as Big Pussy. Same for Bobby Baccula...

I do predict a career for Jamie Lynn if she want it. Probably another tv role.

It was weird seeing Janice outside a sopranos episode. It didn't work well for me, and ot didn't help that she was sitting across from Falco.

Sorry for the switching between real and character names. I couldnt remember some names, so I used their characters on the fly.