Michael Gandolfini Had Never Seen “The Sopranos” Before Auditioning For Prequel

It’s been long announced that Michael Gandolfini, son of the late, great James Gandolfini is set to continue the family business of portraying Tony Soprano; however, it was not until a recent interview with Esquire, that Michael Gandolfini mentioned having never seen The Sopranos before auditioning for the role. 

Of the time his father spent filming the series, Michael said, “I was just a kid when he was making it. I would go to the set and ask him what it was about, and he’d say, ‘Oh, it’s about this guy who’s in the Mob and kind of goes to therapy,’” Having to rewatch the series to prepare for the upcoming role was a challenge. Michael had to face his father again, “I think what made it so hard was I had to do it alone. I was just sitting alone in my dark apartment, watching my dad all the time. I started having crazy dreams. I had one where I auditioned for David and I looked down at my hands, and they were my dad’s hands.”

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Michael mentioned one moment in particular that hit home rewatching the show, “One that crushed me was when he yells at A. J., and he gets a pizza to apologize, and he sits by his son’s bed and says, ‘I couldn’t ask for a better son.’ I just knew he was talking to me in that scene.” 

You’ll be able to watch The Many Saints of Newark on Septemeber 25th, 2020.