He is willing to follow in the footsteps of his late father playing a young Tony Soprano in the upcoming crime drama The Many Saints Of Newark.
And in a new interview, Michael Gandolfini, whose father James brought to life the iconic character from HBO’s The Sopranos, revealed that portraying a young Tony in the upcoming home story allowed him to “feel closer ”To his father.
Michael, 22, told The Face magazine in a new interview: “Making me feel like the connection to my dad is really fantastic. It’s there and it’s real, and seeing people moved by it means a lot to me.It’s so special that I have to do this.
Principal: Michael Gandolfini, 22, has revealed that portraying a young Tony Soprano in The Many Saints Of Newark allowed him to “feel closer” to his father
The Sopranos began his six-season career in 1999 and James died suddenly of a heart attack in 2013 at the age of 51.
Michael admitted in his interview that he “distanced himself” from the series when his father starred in it, adding that auditions for The Many Saints Of Newark never “crossed his mind” initially because ” I didn’t know anything about this character, this world. I want to be my own actor and my own young man. ‘
He added that he was worried that he might try and not get the role, explaining that this result would have been “so painful”.
As for what fans of the soprano can expect from a younger Tony, Michael said on the way out that he was struggling to bring in the “beautiful emotional things” his father kept inside.
New role: Michael’s serene cast as Tony in The Many Saints Of Newark will make him a household name when the film hits theaters on October 1st.
The boss: Father James Gandolfini played Tony Soprano for nine years before The Sopranos finally ended in 2009. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 2013 at the age of 51.
The young actor added that he was “grateful” to have been previously protected from the show, but insisted he was “so proud” of his father.
Before filming, Michael watched all six seasons of the show in a row, sometimes going through a whole one in one day.
“It was Sopranos 24/7,” he said, adding that he even ate cannoli every night to try to feel more Italian.
Michael, who has only two more semesters until he graduates from college, split his time between growing up in New York and New Jersey, before going to school in Los Angeles.
In the interview, Michael joined the rising stars, including model Iris Law, brothers Herbie and Ray Howard, and TikTok personality Bella Poarch, in the fashion edition of the magazine.
The move is another positive step in his career, with his serendipitous casting as Tony in The Many Saints Of Newark that will make him a household name when the film opens on October 1.
According to film director Alan Taylor, 62, Michael even raised the issue of his late father (who died when he was 14) during dinner.
Involvement: Michael joins rising stars, including model Iris Law, brothers Herbie and Ray Howard, and TikTok personality Bella Poarch in this month’s fashion edition
“We all had dinner one night,” Taylor told Empire. ‘At one point, [Michael] he stood up and said, “I want to thank everyone for doing this because it was an opportunity to greet my father … and say goodbye again.”
Taylor said “there was no dry eye in the house” after Michael’s statement about James, who died while the two were on holiday in Rome on June 19, 2013.
Michael told the dam that the role of young Tony Soprano was probably the toughest decision [he’s] he never had to.
“You know, I didn’t want to put pressure to get out of that feeling as if I had grown up in terms of my dad towards my dad,” he said. “I just wanted to be the best actor I could be, portraying Tony the way David wanted me, scene by scene. I didn’t think about my pain because … well, I would have stayed in bed.
The prequel focuses on the incipient mob boss when he was young amid the 1967 Newark riots and tensions between the African American and Italian-American communities.
Michael, who had previously been seen in The Deuce, The Boy, the Dog and the Clown and Youngest, said the softer sides of the iconic television character are illustrated during his formative years.
Old Times: The actor (right, alongside co-star Joe Pantoliano in The Sopranos) died of a heart attack in Italy when Michael was 14 years old.
“My dad’s character had all this beautiful sensitivity under this aggression,” Michael told Empire. This version of him is the opposite. His curiosity and sensitivity comes first. He is not an armed gangster. He’s a boy who falls and throws himself.
He joins a cast that includes Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Cory Stoll, Billy Magnussen and Alessandro Nivola.
The Face is available for purchase starting Tuesday, September 7th.