Fans of The Sopranos are looking forward to the series upcoming prequel film, The Many Saints of Newark, for a number of reasons — not least of which being Michael Gandolfini taking over the role of Tony Soprano from his father, the late, great James Gandolfini. Playing a young version of the mafia boss growing up during the 1967 riots in Newark, New Jersey, the actor steps into a highly-anticipated role in the film, and with all eyes on him, Gandolfini spoke to Empire Magazine about his work on the film, describing it as a performance filled with curiosity and sensitivity.

With Many Saints marking the young actor’s first major appearance on film, the task of taking on a role made famous by his father is no easy task for Gandolfini, and he knows it, describing his acceptance of the role as “probably the toughest decision [he’s] ever had to make." To step into the shoes of a much-beloved character is one thing, but to continue a legacy created by his father is a whole other beast, something the star was keenly aware of during shooting, as he informed Empire:

​​“You know, I didn’t want to put pressure on myself to walk out of this feeling like I’d grown in terms of my feelings towards my dad...I just wanted to be the best actor I could be, portraying Tony in the way David wanted, scene by scene. I didn’t think about my grief because… well, I would have s**t the bed.”

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Image via Warner Bros.

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And in no way is the young Anthony Soprano simply a copy-and-paste from the original series, a de-aged, exactly matched replica of the character everyone remembers. Gandolfini describes his version of Tony Soprano as something different from his father, something that flips the character on its head. While the original Soprano was heavy-hitting and aggressive with a “beautiful sensitivity” underneath, the young Gandolfini describes his version as “the reverse”: “His curiosity and sensitivity comes first. He’s not a gun-wielding gangster. He’s a kid who gets whittled down and pulled in.”

The hard work Gandolfini put into his appearance didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the film’s cast or crew either. Director Alan Taylor noted to Empire that the elder Gandolfini’s memory was invoked regularly during the shoot, including by his son: “We all had dinner one night...At one point, [Michael] stood up and said, ‘I want to thank everyone for doing this because it was a chance to say hello to my father… and goodbye again.’ There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

The Many Saints of Newark also stars Vera Farmiga, Jon Bernthal, Alessandro Nivola, and Leslie Odom Jr., with a script from original Sopranos creator David Chase and Lawrence Konner. The film premieres in theaters everywhere and on HBO Max on October 1.

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