Michael Gandolfini Looks Eerily Similar to Father James in 'Sopranos' Prequel Photo
Michael Gandolfini looks eerily similar to his father James in some new photos from the set of The [...]
Michael Gandolfini looks eerily similar to his father James in some new photos from the set of The Sopranos prequel movie.
Titled The Many Saints of Newark, the film takes place during the Newark riots of 1967, and Gandolfini will be starring as the younger version Tony Soprano, the character that his father originated in the HBO series.
The photos reveal Gandolfini's teen-Tony with long brown hair and donning the gold necklace/pendant his father wore while playing the role. Sadly, James passed away in 2013, after suffering a heart attack.
In a previous statement, Gandolfini commented on earning the role and expressed his excitement at being able to take on the same part his father so iconically crafted.
"It's a profound honor to continue my dad's legacy while stepping into the shoes of a young Tony Soprano," he said. "I'm thrilled that I am going to have the opportunity to work with [Sopranos creator] David Chase and the incredible company of talent he has assembled for The Many Saints of Newark."
In addition to Gandolfini, Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen and John Magaro will also star in the film, which is helmed by Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor.
This is not Gandolfini's first acting role either, as he previously appeared in Ocean's Eight, and as Joey Dwyer in HBO's The Deuce.
In past interview after James' death, Sopranos creator David Chase spoke fondly of the actor, saying, "There is something immensely lovable about him and something immensely interesting. I don't know which came first."
"There was a quality, I think – maybe it's my taste showing – but there was a quality of sadness he had. I've been thinking about it recently, and my feeling is that you saw in him a little boy. The lost, hurt, little boy. He stood for all lost little boys," Chase added.
He later went on to elaborate on the relationship the two men shared, saying that — even though he often referred to James as his "brother" — things between them were "complicated."
"When I say brother, I mean brother: we didn't always get along. We didn't always agree. He understood me on some level, I would say that. I can't say whether he would say it was the same for him," Chase explained. "But he understood me and I think we had a great deal in common even though we had different tastes in a lot of things, different ways of dealing with things. Another word for that would be soulmate, I guess."
The Many Saints of Newark is scheduled to open in theaters on Sept. 25, 2020.