"[They] are really funny," he said. He was also one of many characters that survived through some of the series most intense situations. And part of that bond among the cast is the magic of the show, too. According to the Guardian, he had some connections and involvement with the DeCavalcante crime familys Brooklyn branch. You're doing a good job. He was sent to the hospital to fix the cuts on his hand, but the staff didn't realize his foot cast, fake blood, and fake bullet holes on his chest were from a film set, and they panicked and rushed to help. "That's why I'm always doing work. IMPERIOLI: Yeah. Michael Imperioli is a busy guy. But that ooh, la, la came in. Here's Sam. And I was just thinking, well, what are these - you know, do they think at all about what they're doing? Michael Imperioli is starring in the second season of the HBO series "The White Lotus," which was created by Mike White. Known for his role as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos, Steven Van Zandt is one of the most memorable actors in the entire series. But they had another car, and they just brought it over. IMPERIOLI: (As Dominic Di Grasso) Hey. In the end, Nancy went above and beyond forand showed great dedication to seeing her role through to the very end. I don't wait for people just to cast me, you know what I mean? The Sopranos viewership shot up 179%. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Probably at some point in his life earlier on, he did them without being conscious of these aftereffects, justifying them, you know, felt entitled to them, compartmentalizing them. "The idea of creating a character that people really remember you for and really associate with is very rare.". It's a little sick, but it's very sweet. Imperioli stars in the new season of the HBO series "The White Lotus." Someone might say you're being over-the-top or something, right? However, overtime, it becomesclear that their relationshipis slowly onthe decline. "I'm glad it makes him happy. In addition to The Sopranos, Schirripa also stars in other roles across TV and film. Imperioli spoke with our producer, Sam Briger. 4. I mean, they literally burn a picture of a saint when they're doing their, you know IMPERIOLI: Induction ceremony, yeah, being made. All Rights Reserved. Personality Traits of a Recovered Alcoholic (A Complete Guide) Michael Imperiolis Home Away From I wouldn't say his name anyway. He's reluctantly gone on vacation to Sicily with his father and son to find their family roots while staying at the luxurious White Lotus hotel chain. The guy says, look; we like what you're doing. When The Sopranos cut to black in 2007, Michael Imperioli found himself at a crossroads. But he says, you know, those were peccadillos. And the guy's like, hello. And then, Tony goes to see his - you know, this madam, who was a friend of, you know, Makazian, and they're talking about Paulie Walnuts. OFTA Television Award. We drank a whole bottle of Wild Turkey. Over the years, it has become a recurring theme that having a criminal record is a common thing for members ofThe Sopranoscast. . Known for playing Paulie, Sirico possesses an extensive criminal record that surpasses that of his other cast mates. Talk about a jack of all trades. In addition to staring in The Godfather: Part 2 as Corrado Sporrano, he also stars as Uncle Junior in The Sopranos. And it just blew my mind and made me love that song even more. Sadly, he lost his life following an altercation with the two, in which Armento shot him. They took chains and wrapped them around our ankles and tied them to a tree and covered it with leaves.. Well, let's take another short break here. Actor Imperioli finds a character far removed from his mobster role And Paulie is played by Tony Sirico. And as The White Lotus ignites his on-screen renaissance, The Sopranos has been experiencing a revival of its own. BRIGER: Did you do much research into sex addiction and compulsion for the role? Shewent all out to capture the persona of the Soprano matriarch. And I'm not saying this line 'cause Paulie, he's not a bully, and you got to change that line. As I said, his father Bert is really lecherous. He also has appeared in public service announcements, warning youth of the dangers that come with engaging in criminal activity. IMPERIOLI: Yeah, I did. And I'll never - you know, I don't go back over it, and it's not something that I carry after. And sex addiction can come in many, many, many forms. BRIGER: So your character Dom is on this trip with his father and son, which he's very reluctant about, and he's kind of stuck between them, both generationally, but also, like, in terms of his relationship to women. IMPERIOLI: Click - and then the guy hung up. And then when they come and come to fruition, you think that that should be an end in itself and it's not.". He was very big that way. And it's painful night after night. Working with James was - you know, he was always so committed and gave 110% all the time. The 23 Best Nude Scenes in Film, from 'Shortbus' to 'Blue Velvet' And I have changed, and I am changing. And a lot of us knew each other from before "The Sopranos," even. In April of 2006, Gross was arrested after a woman claimed that he had broken into her house. IMPERIOLI: (As Christopher Moltisanti) I forgot all about purgatory. This includes James Gandolfini, who plays her husband. In the show, Christopher is Tonys protg, although he often makes things difficult for Tony. On Christmas Eve every year, you would watch "Midnight Cowboy" with your father and your brother. "A lot of shows don't get that kind of second wind, you know what I mean?" You know, last year, you published a book called "Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History Of The Sopranos" that you co-wrote with Steve Schirripa, and he played Bobby Bacala in "The Sopranos." They were - yeah, Tony had a lot of those traits as well. But you also have this father-son relationship with him, although, a very messed up version of that. We're back with Michael Imperioli, who stars in the second season of "The White Lotus" on HBO. Is there a relationship? "And he improvised so well with Pesci, which is not easy to do. Have you had that experience yourself? "We don't know what he's going to be remembered for. He's currently developing a dark comedy pilot for HBO with Barry co-creator Alec Berg, where Imperioli will play himself. Although he battled with his own demons at times, including a battle against addiction, Gandolfini was an irreplaceable part of what made the Sopranos such a great series. Michael Imperioli That's where that comes from. Nominee. Michael Imperiolis portrayal of a drug addict was beyond accurate. He was behaving in it. When Borgese was chosen for his role in the show, there were several factors that gave him an advantage. And you repeat these lines in different parts of the song, like, you're not like anybody else. And some of that was very dark. IMPERIOLI: (Laughter) He was really protective. Its a big production value thing, Imperioli said earlier this year on his podcast. Shortly before he was arrested by police, Gross tried ditching the evidence by throwing the money away. IMPERIOLI: Oh, I don't even know if it came up. GROSS: Michael Imperioli spoke with FRESH AIR producer Sam Briger. SIRICO: (As Paulie Walnuts Gualtieri) Purgatory, a little detour on our way to paradise. He wasn't a mobster, but there were - he had some brushes with them. quickly develops into a bad boy type persona. According to the Guardian, Squicciarini was implicated in the shooting of drug dealer, Ralph Hernandez. He never hesitates when it comes totaking out his and his familys enemies and is quite clever in luring his targets to designated locations when carrying out the deeds. Today, the only other role that comes close to rivaling her performance as Carmela is that of Jackie Peyton from Nurse Jackie. IMPERIOLI: Well, there were some very literal things that - the parallels like being from kind of - not New Jersey, but a similar kind of New York-adjacent, you know, kind of place, addictive things, and brushes with the mob. In the show, he plays Artie Bucco, a temperamental chef that is close friends with Tony Soprano. It felt to me like that song is dealing a little bit with the themes of your book, "The Perfume Burned His Eyes." As Livia, shewas ruthless and never hesitated to do what was necessary to ensure the familys success. I always say nothing is sacred to me in my imagination. He's only in two scenes, and on screen for about five minutes. IMPERIOLI: No. He would swoop up his - the gray part of his hair and do those wings and come IMPERIOLI: Well, he would - you know, when you do a TV show, you come to work in the morning. We're speaking with Michael Imperioli, who stars in the second season of "The White Lotus" on HBO. But that - boy, is that interesting. More after a break, this is FRESH AIR. The Sopranos (1999) 2004. BRIGER: It was an iconic look, yeah. Their argument reached a breaking point when they begin to fight, forcing her to shoot him in self-defense. And the team does your hair and cuts it if it's needed and styles it and stuff. It's a beautiful and dark song BRIGER: about love and death and loss. You know, that was - I was just thinking about - 'cause all these guys are Catholic, right? This is FRESH AIR. She listens to you. One of her best performances was when she starred as Livia Soprano in The Sopranos. We'll be back after a break. Paulie has a different last name, but he's called Paulie Walnuts. He appeared in the films One Night in Miami and Goodfellas, and starred in HBOs The Sopranos. He went so far as to choose his crime family over the love of his life, Adriana, after she reveals herself to being an FBI informant. Is that you coming across on the page? And you know, at that time he was living with Rachel Humphreys in this building on the east side. BRIGER: Right. And somehow those things came together and gave life to the story. But - and I think most of the real guys know that. Bevilaquais a close associate with the Soprano crew and works closely with Christopher Moltisanti. BRIGER: You know, I said, like, this - your role, you're kind of sandwiched between your father and your son and thinking about the ways in which you're different than your father, the ways in which your son is different than you. And Tony went, I'm fine with that. BRIGER: Yeah. He's wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a mala necklace the beads used during meditation. He's just awesome. Related IMPERIOLI: Sure. So people assume you know how to drive. BRIGER: Michael, let's take a short break here. I love how Paulie is sort of, like, comparing doing time at purgatory, is like doing time in prison. Absolutely. In the second season, Michael Imperioli plays Dominic Di Grasso, a successful Hollywood producer with a sex addiction who's destroyed his marriage by cheating on his wife a lot. And before that, he started doing martial arts. However, what he lacked in acting experience, he made up for with his fame as a musician. He has sex addiction and compulsion issues. Inside the Zen Mind of Michael Imperioli - GQ From Barbie to The Flash, Here Are the Movies That Made the Biggest Impact at CinemaCon. For over two decades, she not only fought against her alcohol addiction, she also devoted her heart and soul to her acting career, while also raising her kids. Last year, he started leading free meditation groups over Zoom for anyone to join. He even has his own brand of Italian foods, which he started in honor of his late mother. Then a prequel film for the show, The Many Saints of Newark, which Imperioli narrates, came out in 2021. IMPERIOLI: But raising kids, I can - I really learned a lot about my parents and particularly my father and how difficult it is to do that. IMPERIOLI: Thanks for having me. Then they went on a safari Neil Young and Snoop Dogg joined Willie Nelson on stage for a 90th birthday concert, More people are getting away with murder. In 2001, he was honored at BMI Nashville for the release of his debut CD Hits. And about three months into writing it, Lou died. 2 IN D MINOR, BWV 1008: III. Cookie Notice What's wrong with you? Growing up, Lier spent a lot of his time auditioning and preparing for roles. You've stormed off because, like you said here, always feeling disrespected? BRIGER: You know, when you were working on the show, did you ever hear from someone who said they were part of the mafia and either criticized or praised, like, how the show was portraying the mob? IMPERIOLI: Well, I love that song. It stands to reason that alcohol recovery is also a gradual process with no set timeline. Whether it was on screen or in real life, Squicciarinis connections to the mob's activities is more than just a product of The Sopranos TV series. Despite being considered one of Hollywoods hottest young actors, especially for his role playing Robert DeNiros son in a Bronx Tale, he quickly spiraled out of control. Even though the series came to an end in 2005, the show is still considered a crown jewel among other popular television series. From then on,helearned how to control and channel his rage into his performances. "I look at Buddhism much more like a science than anything else, more than a religion or even a philosophy," Imperioli says. The larceny charge alone, was enough to earn him up to 15 years in prison. And 6,000 years is nothing in eternity times. He took on roles in theater, small independent films, and TV shows like Californication, This Fool, and Alex, Inc., and cameos elsewhere. One of his biggest passions is music, which is the main reason he got into acting. But it's not going to be as bad as, you know, what these characters are going through in "Midnight Cowboy." And you go to hell, or you think you go to hell. Falcos performance as Carmela distinguishes her from any of her past roles. WebDennis A. Clark/HBO. PublishedNovember 13, 2022 at 7:00 AM EST. Was that, like, your first big scene with him? It's like a couple of days here. One of his earliestachievements includes being a featured guest star on Saturday Night Live. You don't have to say anything to her. WebBased on research, a recovered alcoholic is someone who has achieved sobriety, passed through the process of alcohol dependence recovery, has improved his health and Alcoholic Recovery Stages You're talking about going back to early part of the 20th century, probably, and maybe earlier. However, one of his greatest accomplishments is his dedication to bringing music back into schools. I'm speaking with Michael Imperioli, who stars in the second season of the HBO show "The White Lotus." His accomplishments include being a core member of the E Street Band, founding Wicked Cool Records in 2005, co-writing for Springsteen, as well as branching out into TV and movies beyond The Sopranos, such as the Netflix series Lillyhammer. On the break, while they set up the lights, Michael and Jim [Gandolfini] drank a bottle of Wild Turkey, Schirripa said. For example, even though he plays a mobster in The Sopranos, he stars as a detective in Blue Bloods. His latest project has taken him to Sicily, about 4,500 miles away from his New York home, where hes preparing to shoot Michael Imperioli He was IMPERIOLI: He died a few months ago, yeah, in July. Most actors dont work. I'll be honest with you. How did that work out? But - and then, I got my license after that. However, despite her diagnosis, she made a request to David Chase to let her continue working for as long as she was able. You have Lou Reed working on two songs in your novel. He said there's plenty more to come for Imperioli. His desire for causing pain to others surpasses that of any other member of Tonys crew. And I told him that. With such a compelling performance, it is no surprise thatshereceived two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe for her role as Livia. Furthermore, he also happens to be one heck of a marksman. After spending a minute listing all the projects he's been working on lately, Imperioli gets to the end and pauses: "Yeah, what else have I been doing?" While this is Imperioli's big return to the spotlight, the truth is he never really left it. WUSF 89.7 depends on donors for the funding it takes to provide you the most trusted source of news and information here in town, across our state, and around the world. To avoid conviction, which would have cost him his role in the show, Lier pleaded guiltyto the charge for his involvement in forcibly taking $40 from two teenage boys on a corner in New York Avenue. BRIGER: Yeah. Know how many mobsters are selling screenplays and screwing everything up? During this time, heacquiredan infamousrap sheetof 28 arrests. In addition to his acting ability, Big Mike also benefits from his imposing heightof six feet, five inches. And every night at midnight, they whack him the same way he was whacked in life. And I guess hell takes place in an Irish pub where it's St. Patrick's Day every day. Unfortunately, Nancy was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 72. During the two years that he was studying there, his teacher would frequently tell him to just let everything out. But I wanted to write a coming-of-age story because in 2013 my middle child was 16 and was going through, you know, usual difficult 16-year-old problems. And so I wanted to play the scene where Paulie - well, you're in the hospital. However, according to New York Times TV writer Bill Carter, he describes that in reality Gandolfini was a soft-spoken, yet warm guy. This includes engaging in small time robbery, scamming, and even committing assault. This TikTok contains vulgar language that some might find offensive. BRIGER: That's "Red Sky" by the band ZOPA. WebApart from the damage it causes to his professional prospects, alcohol addiction also endangers his brothers life. And it is popular now. BRIGER: You know, there's kind of a pattern in the Tony-Christopher scenes, where, like, Christopher is grousing about something. "Michael sort of represents a pure artist to a lot of people in a time when there's a lot of people with different agendas, you know, trying to sell things," ZOPA bass player Elijah Amitin said. "And the idea of shooting in Sicily for four months didn't hurt either," Imperioli added. IMPERIOLI: Yeah. ", "You know, I always considered him one of the finest we have worked with.". Before the Sopranos Prequel Airs, Michael Imperioli, a.k.a. Let us know in the comments! (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WOKE UP THIS MORNING"). IMPERIOLI: (As Christopher) You know, my cousin Gregory's girlfriend is what they call development girl out in Hollywood, right? To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. I'm Sam Briger, and this is FRESH AIR. And this is when you're recovering from being shot. You add up all your mortal sins. They harbor these things and whatever - harbor things against them. Despite being complete opposites of one another, both characters share a similar toughness and no-nonsense attitude that sets them apart from other characters in their respective series. Related The scene can be found in the fourth season episode Whoever Did This, which finds Tony Soprano (Gandolfini) and Christopher Moltisanti (Imperioli) heading to upstate New York to dispose of the body of Ralphie Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano). He's 56 with a full head of silver hair. Much like other cast members, John Ventimiglia has had his fair share of brushes with the law. You guys are at Tony's house for a barbecue. This is IMPERIOLI: Kind of both. he said. But your character also is cheating on his wife, but he feels a lot of shame. Michael Imperioli I mean, the book is not factual IMPERIOLI: Or biographical. But it's also not exactly true," Chase said. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. But according to Scorsese, part of the reason people remember it so well is that it marks a dark turning point in the film where things begin to go south for the characters. And the writers, for some reason, they took this into consideration and went back to them and said, well, what if we change it to, he thought Paulie was a psycho. We go to [James Gandolfinis] trailerwere sitting around and Jim opens a bottle of Wild Turkey. "He's genuinely into making art and sort of expressing a statement.". Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. And his first novel, "The Perfume Burned His Eyes" is being reprinted next month. I feel like you have this wrong, distorted impression of me. Everything's going to be all right from here on in. Tell me that you will in the Bardo when I'm frightened and when I'm blind. Can you talk about the sort of nonverbal moments on camera? The fact that he suffers from a terrible addiction is also an important factor to consider. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Furthermore, Christopher is also known for being quite brutal. A great actor and true to himself,onecant help but be impressed with Siricos dedication. And the reason was the idea of a mobster going to therapy to Italians just didn't make any sense at all 'cause they're just like, he - well, he's a Mafioso. Come 2022, he's now Buddhist, part of a touring indie rock band, and a published author. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. But he has a really good bulls*** sensor. And he said, wow, that's very sweet. Yeah. What's the relationship? IMPERIOLI: Yeah, well, Paulie Walnuts was such a funny character, as was Tony Sirico - very superstitious, paranoid, hypochondriac, narcissistic BRIGER: This is the person, not the role, right? You couldn't change a comma. "We found that immediately it was Pesci, it was De Niro, and Ray Liotta and me we felt immediately that [Imperioli] understood intrinsically who Spider was, and he understood the situation in the atmosphere.". Eventually, Richie reaches his limits after learning that his son is possibly gay. In the world of The Sopranos, which is dominated by the machismo of male gangsters, Carmela is one of the few female actresses that stands out as a tough talking icon, according toThe Guardian. The 54-year-old actor, who played Christopher Moltisanti on the HBO hit, neglected to mention I also mourn for the loss of my younger self. I never thought of that. Reddit community dedicated to the HBO hit TV series, The Sopranos, and movie, The Many Saints of Newark. The lead singer and guitarist is my guest, Michael Imperioli. It's a lot. No matter what may happen, Paulie would never become a rat. And when - we were very good friends, you know? And some of it was fantastic. WebIn the meantime, Michael Imperioli has adapted Mario Puzos novel Omerta as a feature. And he's writing a movie with Chase that he will star in alongside another Sopranos alum, Steve Schirripa although he can't give any more details about that yet. When the time came for him to becomeTony Soprano, Gandolfini's persona changed. Following his release, he bore Tony no ill will. It seems this temperamental attitude and rash behavior also follows him in real life. Originally Tonys superior, Richie was demoted during the ten years he spent in prison. All thanks to his unique approach to acting. I'm Terry Gross. What Michael Imperioli Is Listening to Right 'Yellowjackets' Showrunners Cite Tony Soprano as an Inspiration: 'That's What We're Aiming for' Why is he - you know, why in the world would he go to therapy? The Sopranos goes above and beyond to include a cast that embodies the reality of mob culture that they demonstrate in the series. Following this incident, Gross took it upon himself to take up the Mafias code of silence, Omerta. What really allowshim to sell his part as a mobster of the Soprano family, is that he is familiar with how the moboperates in real life. But eventually, I think they started watching and, you know - and a lot of people in Italy really like it. He's your boss. However, he has had his moments of rage and will not hesitate to confront people who have wronged him. This one just might be a bit brighter than it's been for a while. Michael Imperioli should know that better than anybody, since most people would immediately recognize him as Christopher Moltisanti, one of the most intriguing characters on The Sopranos. NPR takes a look at his legacy as Christopher Moltisanti in "The Sopranos" and more. I just didn't have experience, you know? He is currently studying journalism at Carleton University and seeks to further his career as a journalist, as well as hone his writing skills. IMPERIOLI: (As Dominic Di Grasso) Yes, I can be the man she wants me to be again. So a lot of the characters were together. BRIGER: (Laughter) And he would do his own hair, right? WebBest Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries. Even if they happen to be in positions of power, which includesTony. This eventually led him to the role of Paulie inThe Sopranos. You know what I mean? So I started writing this coming-of-age story about this kid who moves - his mother inherits some money, and they move from a blue-collar, working-class neighborhood in Queens to a rather posh east midtown, you know, doorman building, you know, a distance that's, you know - I don't know - two miles maybe as the crow flies, but very, very different lifestyles, you know, different types of - it's a totally different kind of world for this kid. ", "In my twenties, all I did was try to be, you know, successful at my work," he said. His interests mainly lie in pop culture and entertainment and enjoys writing articles on the latest movies, TV shows, comics and video games. However, Gross still pleaded guilty to the charges against him, to avoid potentially facing up to 15 years worth of jail time. A don never wears shorts. Tony takes it for a little bit. You know, how do they justify or compartmentalize it? The book came out of the podcast they started during COVID called "Talking Sopranos," where they went back and watched the whole series all over again. But you're really good at showing just how stricken with shame your character is. However, Sirico made it very clear to the shows creator David Chase that he would only accept the role under one condition. You've said that you've studied addiction your whole life. But what of the mind behind the character that supposedly defines Imperioli's acting career, David Chase? In the show, Gross plays Perry Annunziata whom Tony hires him as his bodyguard and driver towards the end of the series. And I eventually wound up hitting the tree and IMPERIOLI: Crashing. And Jim never found out who he was or how he got his number or anything like that. "So for young people in their late teens and early twenties to be discovering it, and not just discovering it, but be really passionate about their love for it is kind of remarkable.". In 2021, he published a book called "Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History Of The Sopranos," co-written with Steve Schirripa, who plays gangster Bobby Bacala on the show.