The Scene James Gandolfini REFUSED To Film | The Sopranos

#thesopranosdeletedscene #thesopranosexplained #thesopranos
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In The Sopranos, we follow the exploits of New Jersey mafia boss Tony Soprano, as he attempts to balance his family life with his criminal lifestyle. Tony is played by the late James Gandolfini, in what is the role he will be most remembered for. It appears that there was at least one scene that James Gandolfini refused to film at first, and it caused him a lot of anger.
The Sopranos Explained. The Sopranos deleted scene. When The Sopranos went too far.

[@phil-Leotardo.171]

The murder of a sweet an innocent 47 year old kid brudda, by da animal Blundetto, was a step to far.

[@littlekingtrashmouth9219]

Phil, the wine. You know it makes you emotional

[@phil-Leotardo.171]

​@Little King Trashmouth Is because I have an empty stomach

[@mixmastercj100]

It’s okay Uncle Philly. Have some manicott’

[@igorkorycki3646]

@@mixmastercj100 A whole converastion without the mention of doing 20 years in the can, although I would fancy some grilled cheese

[@Troy19]

Phil you know the wine makes you emotional and gives you Florida sticky balls

[@morallybankrupt1461]

I actually worked for the catering company that provided the craft services for the show. Mr. Gandolfini was kind, soft spoken and very friendly and respectful. Out of all the cast he the was only one that remembered my name or even asked in the first place. I was heartbroken when I found out he passed away because the only thing he wanted was to be a good father to his son.

[@roymunson1]

Legend

[@aidanlastname0187]

Yeah I heard that he was one of the nicest guys ever irl. Always playing the bad guys in movies/tv, but the complete opposite irl

[@kev3d]

Yeah, but how was the gabagool?

[@MomMom4Cubs]

That was a nice story. What an anecdote to carry with you!

[@mergat2970]

what catering company

[@Buford_T_Justice1]

A boss doesn’t grease the union in a gas station bathroom.

[@eljefemaximo5420]

Discratziato

[@LynxStarAuto]

Exactly

[@keveardo]

Never grease your Braciole in a gas station, it’s undignified

[@jluchette]

@@keveardo I don’t know how to spell “pee-sha-deal” but if I did? I’d say something like “ayyyy da fux a matta wit you? Greazin ya… ya… “pishadille” in gas station bathroom? U some kinda mook or whaa? *slaps Chris upside the head* “I’M tha boss a diss mothafuggin famlee, capiche? Anybody greases they pishadille in a gas station it’s gonna be ME *points gun at Chris* you unnastan? DO- YOU- UNNASTAN ME!!?! The funniest part of this is, to me, Chris isn’t even involved in my made up scenario. He just happens to be there and Tony needs someone he can slap around and point guns out without anyone important being upset. 🤣

[@robertsav]

Facts

[@Lossandthepanda]

Tony Soprano cranking it in a gas station bathroom Now theres an image

[@FU05241960]

Seems out of character

[@jalenr.6542]

Tony could fuck any woman he wanted. So him masturbating is extremely out of character, even in his “chasing it” state

[@HereForTheComments]

There's certain scenes in shows where I'm like "My God, they had to film that. They had to film and perform that." One such scene is Tony gettin' aggressive brain from that stripper. To see this though? To see the gas station bathroom scene? It'd be like killing Tracee all over again.

[@CovertRadio]

Especially if Vito was in the stall waiting.

[@iamjackscompletelackofsurp9606]

@@CovertRadio with mushrooms growin out his a$$

[@The10mmcure]

Speaking of Tony "devolving", I have always thought that the night Tony accelerated Christopher's death, a big piece of Tony went with him, and he knew it. After that he accepted he was a sociopath and just let go of trying to be a better person and all that psychiatric shit.

[@lane6216]

I completely agree.

[@ppiorkowski1502]

​@@lane6216you have to figure Dr. Melfi giving him the boot also played a role in it. Those sessions were a way for him to downplay who he really was.

[@bosewicht2389]

He probably thought to himself „fuck it all“

[@lane6216]

@@ppiorkowski1502 , and his therapy was a way to alleviate the pressure. He could act out dealing with things with her, and then never have to really deal with things.

[@jmccabe82]

Trust me it’s like takin a shit

[@WisteriaNerium]

With all I've read about David Chase off interviews from his own words. I don't blame James Gandolfini for fucking hating him and barely speaking to him. Chase is like fucking Livia.

[@marcosmos7478]

i think Livia was made in the imagine of his actual mother so there's that lol

[@hardybryan]

I met Gandolfini several times during the time he was playing Tony Soprano. Very nice and down to Earth. Amazingly generous tipper. He had a huge head, I mean that literally, not about his ego. Just an enormous cranium. James did a lot of cocaine for a long time. I'm quite certain that had more to do with his passing than anything else.

[@TheAto2000]

No idea he was using it in real life.I simply looked at all the food he was eating and cigars he smoked.Glad you got to even meet him.

[@ThatGuy-sc5rx]

I mean by the reports of just his last meal alone the man was indulgent to say the least. He quite obviously seemed to live a life of excess and had many vices. Not just coke. Coke and alcohol habit alone is bad news for the heart but especially combined together on top of an awful diet and smoking it's a recipe for disaster.

[@1nc0rr1g1bl3]

Dope. Wish he were still here in some form.

[@Professor__S]

He was overworked. 16 hour days of shooting followed by going home to read his lines. He probably got only 4 hours of sleep a night. High stress and long work hours would effect any mans health.

[@catronc22]

He should of researched the likes of Judy Garland and Jimmy Smits!!!!

[@andrewreisinger6860]

It's been reported that Gandolfini was a rock for Jamie-Lynn Seigler after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). She confided in him and he was VERY protective of her. Makes sense, because the character of "Meadow" is often thought to be a guardian angel to Tony in the series. I think back to the scene where Tony goes to the New York restaurant to beat the shit out of and stomp the teeth out of the dude that made crude remarks to her when she was on a date with her boyfriend.

[@j.l.3685]

Okay

[@dicksonfranssen]

what a shame for Jamie-Lynn Sigler, now only 42 years old. I know if slimeball Coco had done the same to my daughter he would gotten the same beating, code or no code.

[@Pilkie101]

True, and they were also banging and 69ing a lot on set!

[@williamkim8826]

@@Pilkie101 u wot

[@Cinerary]

@@Pilkie101and he busted in her face and hair and made her brush her teeth with his gooo lololol

[@cadriver2570]

The gas station scene would have been a jumping the shark moment. Totally unbelievable.

[@CovertRadio]

Yea,.... Jump the Shark. Nice comment. Now, do me a favor........... GO GET YOUR F&$%!N SHINE-BOX!!!

[@geedee1264]

Yeah I mean Tony did pull a from a giant fish

[@geedee1264]

Gun, duck this browsers weird rebellious autocorrect

[@iamjackscompletelackofsurp9606]

Tony compromising into a tissue…just doesn’t work for me!

[@Numb217]

It was unacceptable as a wise guy to go down on a woman, but okay to pull one off in a gas station bathroom…doesn’t equate. Look at what Junior did to the girl that let out that little secret.

[@Fuckthis0341]

I’m skeptical of the claim that anyone required Gandolfini to gain weight. My understanding is that Gandolfini just started eating out of control as he aged and the producers encouraged it at worst. But didn’t force or coax anything Gandolfini wasn’t inclined to. Notice he didn’t lose any weight when the show ended

[@motionpotionsauce]

good point, also his weight never really had too much tying into the story as it progressed. Honestly, after he got shot by jr, he couldve even played it off as "losing weight from being in a coma" or whatever

[@Da_Publick]

No, he didn't lose weight after the show ended, if anything he gained even more weight.

[@aribrahim1898]

It's much harder to lose weight than gain weight, especially after 30 and it gets harder after every decade.

[@Tommy88-]

@@aribrahim1898 especially when you can go to any NYC steakhouse nightly and drink as much, and use as much drugs as you want.

[@hands-ongaming7180]

@@aribrahim1898the opposite is true.

[@michaelbarclay4803]

A boss should never wear shorts and never never have a ham shank in a truck stop toilet

[@jockoadams3377]

In the beginning, Tony was the likable rogue. He appeared to be somewhat righteous. And was seemingly not as bad as other characters. But as time went on, the tone got darker. Tony was increasingly revealed to be a more horrible person. And then finally, he's beyond redemption. Any perceived gains from all that therapy with Melfi was revealed to be the "con" of a criminal sociopath and narcissist. Not the easiest place to put an actor. Basically, Tony Soprano became a immoral dead end.

[@azrailroader]

Yeah and you can also see that in the way the last half of season 6 is shot. The colors and lighting are always bleak and gloomy. In contrast to the first 3 seasons where things are always bright and opulent. You can’t go through life murdering people and end up with a sunny personality. The show demonstrated that reality.

[@Dezzreck]

The Tone got darker indeed

[@davidloman7474]

The Tony Soprano character really did weigh on the actor/person James Gandolfini. To play the character he had to live it at least mentally. I heard he wanted to quit after season 5. He was great at his job. All the cast members were great

[@evangelionl0vr857]

I’ve heard multiple stories of the stuff he used to do to get in character. Put rocks in his shoes all day, punch cars before scenes. Just so he could get himself worked up to be able to tap into his rage to become Tony for certain shots. The role definitely took a toll on him.

[@louiszammichieli5438]

If you're co-workers love you and management hates you, you're probably doing something right.

[@Adarkane325xi]

There are scenes where James Gandolfini would go through every emotion in the span of two or three minutes. Look up his final scene with Feech La Manna.

[@jamesgibbs6970]

He wasn't required to gain weight for the show. He was lighter in earlier episodes. He just naturally gained weight as he got older like a lot of people do. It wasn't a show requirement.

[@pegcity4eva]

Too much good Italian food

[@ashleytupper6049]

The pilot was filmed a year before the rest of the first season and it’s on record that he made the choice to gain weight and get a vocal coach to improve his accent. He clearly just had a hard time stopping/losing weight as the seasons went on and he aged

[@Pochi1]

He lost 40 pounds for a movie(The Mexican) and was required to gain it back for the show.

[@scott19087]

@@Pochi1that’s not the same. If you start a show looking a certain way you can’t change it half way though. (Imo you can but people at stupid)

[@lisaplatt3697]

James Gandolphini was a great actor... The Sopranos was/ is still one of my all time favorite shows. All the characters were great. RIP James 🖤

[@proudcynophile1901]

Amen to that!

[@smartyjonez5470]

Hey CinaRanter, did those scenes even exist ?

[@rodri9033]

exhist*

[@hatuletoh]

So there's footage out there somewhere of Tony Soprano wanking in a convenience store bathroom? Wild. A friend of mine once sat next to James Gandolfini on a coast to coast flight, and they actually ended up chatting a bit (it probably helped that my friend was a Rutgers alumnus and football fan, as that was the main topic discussed). I asked my friend what Gandolfini was like, and he paused, thought for a second, and said, "he's just like Tony Soprano, except nice."

[@geedee1264]

"I'm Jim, not Tony Soprano"

[@anthonydileonardo8156]

My wife and I have a mutual friend of Gandolfini, and after he passed, she confided that he had booze and drug issues as he was never sure acting was something for a grown man to be doing

[@ThatGuy-sc5rx]

Interesting, so basically the man didn't think too highly of his accomplishments and lacked higher purpose ? Sad he was talented and by many accounts a nice man.

[@Tommy88-]

So he felt like his whole life was pointless? Maybe that’s why he made Tony so believable.

[@glennkurban3320]

@@Tommy88- its all a big nothing

[@tellmidd3812]

@@glennkurban3320 "...its all a big nothing burger" lol

[@Jack_The_Ladd]

He was a great actor he was…and in this house James Gandolfini is a hero end of story!

[@FEWGEE1]

He litteraly put his entire life into that role. The G.O.A.T!

[@Damidas]

On talking sopranos Michael said that Gandolfini were calling the producers "vultures" towards the end, I really think the show did some voodoo to sacrifice his life force and that's what made the show a timeless masterpiece and is what eventually really killed him

[@DepressionShaman]

I loved Edie Falco in everything she did, but I absolutely fell in love with her acting in Nurse Jackie. She was like a female Tony Soprano. lol Cheating on her husband all the time. The gaslighting. The lies. The addiction. You could tell she picked up some stuff from her time on the Sopranos set, in particular James Gandolfini.

[@valerina7251]

I agree

[@caseyhart4999]

Funny enough I watched Nurse Jackie long before I ever got around to Sopranos but I totally agree.

[@E.C.2]

Sounds like a modern American woman. 😁

[@GuerreroDelInfo]

​@chuckbuskeeBeta

[@ThePyroSquirrel1]

@@GuerreroDelInfo mockingbird

[@jtrustler8400]

Tony wouldn't whack himself? Who wouldn't want to take the easy way out.

[@nilstrobaggia735]

He was greasing the union by juicing it in a bathroom...u know, the union in his pants.

[@a.williams1945]

😂😂😂😂

[@makavelithedon2997]

🤣🤣🤣

[@justwannagrill8548]

Shot it despite protest but cut it out anyway? Humiliation ritual type chit tbh

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Trying to imagine how a scene were him in the gas station bathroom makes sense

[@vdotme]

I'd imagine a session with Dr Mellfi setting off some inner beast in him would work. Maybe tugging one out over the Dr herself?

[@VVguy1]

The character was somewhere around a sex addict.

[@TooLooze]

It doesn't make sense; that's the point.

[@jonathanlucas5198]

I think it must have been after he turns the Jamba Juice woman down or something

[@josephtalmadge3108]

With all the women Tony had in the entire series why would he do a scene jerking in a bathroom when he could've just went to the Bing. Problem solved

[@rgkong8783]

The scene takes place after he rejects the realtor (the woman Chrissy eventually hooks up with) since he felt guilty with Carmela especially after how much she was there for him in the hospital. So in that moment after he leaves, he felt so horny that he needed to wank one off in a public bathroom. I’m glad the scene was cut cause it ultimately defeats the purpose of him feeling guilty.

[@josephtalmadge3108]

@RGkong lmfao 🤣 ya ok bud Tony would've went straight to the Bing

[@SubtlyAggressive]

2:56 - I would throw a tantrum too. That's the dumbest fucking idea I've ever heard!

[@townes4099]

Facts😂😂😂

[@christophergutierrez7598]

That’s cool to write a book talking smack when the man can’t respond about it

[@JohnKobaRuddy]

So we shouldn't print anything true or false if someone's dead?

[@willleon9165]

The zellman actor on talking sopranos said him and James persuaded chase not to make that beating tony give much worse than what we was given

[@justbreakingballs]

He was meant to be naked

[@Tetsuo1312]

The summer I got my license my dad asked me to do him a favor and follow him the the motorcycle dealership because his bike needed service and he needed a ride home. I was walking around looking at the motorcycles on the floor while my dad talked to the service department and noticed this giant of a man standing maybe 20-25 feet away with a cup of coffee in his hand looking at some bikes. It was JG by himself just looking around. It took me a second to register what I was seeing because I had never seen a celebrity before, the Sopranos had ended maybe 6 months before this day. I hadn't seen the show yet but knew who Tony was. I stared a little too long and he gave me one of those acknowledging nods before someone walked up and asked to take a photo with him, which he obliged happily. Anyway that's my Tony Soprano story.

[@pegcity4eva]

Very cool

[@thelilchungus824]

He filmed a movie in my hometown and signed autographs and took pictures pretty much with the whole town. He was a great guy. R.I.P

[@deltaromeo2472]

I think david chase "confirms" Tony's death in the final scene due to annoyance at people asking and truly had no intentional ending.

[@onewarriornation602]

At the time of The Sopranos ending David Chase was in negotiations with HBO to do a Sopranos movie to wrap everything up. Chase left it vague for that and kept vague about the ending for years. Notice it wasn't until James Gandolfini passed away, ending any chance of a movie that David Chase concocted his little story about how he had "planned years in advance for Tony to get wacked in a diner." Going off the clues throughout the show David Chase was dropping hints that Tony Soprano flips at the end just as much as all the death clues. He hedged his bet either way.

[@rupertsmith5815]

@@onewarriornation602that’s not true Everybody shot down the possibility of a movie being made . It was ment as the definitive ending chase was planning nothing after that proving by the fact . There was 7 years between the show ending, why didn’t they make the movie in those 7 years ? Plus everybody moved on to different projects proving what you said wrong

[@forgetfulfunctor1]

This is the video equivalent of double spacing your essay and using unnecessary sentences to puff up your term papers length 😅😅😅

[@forgetfulfunctor1]

Couldve comfortably been a 1 minute video or a short lmao

[@Ponakalaranjit456]

Kinda

[@writeonbetty7835]

I highly doubt that JG had 'tantrums' on the set. His fellow actors and everyone involved with the production praise him as a consummate professional and very kind to everyone.

[@miguelservetus9534]

I would admire him even more if he had held out and refused the scene. Ethics are determined by where we draw the line. Amazing actor.

[@wrmlm37]

Gone far too soon. RIP James. Wonderful acting job. Excellent writing. Greatest show in TV history? It was for me...

[@Ar1AnX1x]

his mood swings is not necessarily mental issues or James being a douchebag it could just be health issues and when you're not physically feeling well then it's not even your choice to be good or bad, you just can't be nice, you just constantly feel horrible, you can't even pretend to be fine, but I'm just speculating obviously.

[@ibrown3KC]

You're spot on. I suffer from Severe Crohns Disease (a chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease which causes excruciating gut pain and discomfort, not to mention it caused me to lose nearly 80 pounds in about 12 months that I've never heen able to put back on because I can't digest food and/or absorb nutrients properly which is how/why I lost the weight to begin with. And I have to live in constant pain because doctors are too scared to prescribe narcotic pain meds due to the "opioid epidemic" even though I have legit chronic pain day in and day out, especially after i eat food. And with all tthat, due to my pain and discomfort and everything else that comes with it like fatigue and hopelessness, well, I can't go out and socialize or do anything I used to love like golf or hike or even work. So yeah, health issues can certainly cause changes in people that they don't choose or want, but instead, they're just in too much pain, be it mental, physical, or both, to do much else.

[@geedee1264]

Shit man, I have some kind of weird eczema or gives crawling all over me, definitely immune allergic type response and I'm certain it's in my stomach and bowels too, not crohns(I hope) but probably ulcerative colitis or related inflammatory disease. Understand your hopelessness. Have they tried any immune suppressants?? First dose of cyclosprine seemed to be doin a bit of a decent job but I wasn't sure, then the doctor decided to just stop the tablets and now since I'm pretty much being invaded with a vengeance again I can say they.just have been doing something, I intend to storm up to the doctor tomorrow (it's a very short distance thankfully) and demand to know what the FUCK is going on??? Good luck my friend, it's only getting worse out there for folks like us

[@Tommy88-]

He also was hungover and grumpy lots of times on set. He was really hungover during the filming of happy wanderer which is why he seemed so pissed at scatino.

[@ibrown3KC]

@gee dee They did have me on steroids which helps some and on opiate pain killers which helped tremendously eith the pain and also helped greatly with slowing my bowels down and stopping the diarrhea. But like you said, they just cut me off my meds which not only caused the pain and diarrhea to come right back, but it also caused immediate withdrawal, and so I started searching for opiates on the streets which we all know is a terrible position to be in, especially with the current fentenyl situation. But doctors these days would rather people fick up there lives or straight up die than prescribe them the pain meds they actually need and are far less dangerous (because they're prescription amd you actually know what's in them and you know how much youre doing. But these scumbag doctors are only worried about being liable if some idiot ODs on a script they prescribed, which is actually quite rare, for all the opiate OD deaths you hear about these days are a result of street fentenyl and street heroin. Not prescription opiates. But when people who are in legitimate excruciating amd chronic pain can't get a legit pain script, they have no choice but to go to the streets and seek out whatever they can find, and all that's on the streets these days is thst fentenyl shit, so you already know what they're gonna choose, and it's not going to be living in excruciating pain.)

[@diddles3383]

I can attest to this as someone with chronic pain and mental health issues, it can be really difficult to be nice all the time and sometimes you have those moments where you can snap because your health issues really eat away your patience, doesn't mean you're a bad person though.

[@Ar1AnX1x]

finally a normal portrayal and discussion about an actor and an artist I just don't buy it when they say "oh he was a sweet angel, a real family man that saved multiple people's lives on a yearly basis and rescued animals" specially about a talented artist, not saying that people like that don't exist but most high level artists have all kinds of demons and ups and downs, their lives are roller-coasters and they're usually not that emotionally stable, it doesn't mean they're bad people but its just how it is a lot of the time.

[@joshflynn2173]

facts 👌 💯

[@marktangney3596]

Look at him, he knows everything

[@ndogg20]

On stage: Monster. Off stage:: Angel. There's no gray area where he can just be an imperfect human in the minds of the masses.

[@RobertoDiego737]

Finally someone who gets it! Smart man bro.

[@ididntmeantoshootthatvietn5012]

Hear hear

[@TheGreatGodPan]

It's ironic that the two must unhinged characters (in a way that is properly explored and elaborated on at least) are played by the most passionately pacifistic actors, Gandolfini and Imperioli, both were the opposite of their characters and likely loathed them and were deeply disturbed by them in many ways, I've read about Gandolfini being particularly disturbed by any violent scenes he was involved with especially towards women (e.g. the scene with Gloria, scene with Melfi etc)

[@MadBenzo]

How entitled do you have to be to order someone to sit by you and hate them if they don't ?

[@EpicHashTime]

I'm not surprised that Gandolfini refused to film certain scenes. Method actors such as him refusing to shoot scenes where their characters behavior is uncharacteristic was actually still pretty common all the way up until about nineteen ninety eight when the undertaker threw mankind off hell in a cell and plummeted sixteen feet through an announcer's table.

[@DanTarrant1]

But...in keeping with tradition it was the Spanish announcer's table at least!

[@LibertyRapsher]

Obviously the required weight gain going into season 1 likely played a role in Gandolfini's relatively early demise... but that's a major props to the actors of the world who make such sacrifices to play certain roles/characters. It's somewhat of an anomaly since I don't know of too many other scenarios where someone had to gain weight for a role where they in turn got locked into that role for 8 years. Vincent D'Onofrio who played private pile in Full Metal Jacket gained a bunch of weight (most weight ever gained for a role) for that role, but afterward the movie he was able to lose it.... but since that was his breakout role, I'm curious if there was a pressure or an expectation to be the weight he was in Full Metal Jacket. I know he played roles shortly thereafter where he was thin, but I'd be curious to know if immediately after what it was like, but I digress. Gandolfini gained a little more weight on top of it as the show continued on, but when you're required to to maintain a certain lifestyle for a role it's understandable.

[@dewilew2137]

Wait, did Jim used to be a slim guy?! I had no idea. He gained weight prior to season 1?? That’s when he was at his slimmest!

[@roderickstockdale1678]

@@dewilew2137you ever see True Romance?

[@roderickstockdale1678]

What about De Niro in Raging Bull?

[@imthedorf1964]

His next role following FMJ was a mechanic in Adventures In Babysitting. He was skinny with blond hair and looked nothing like Private Pyle.

[@roderickstockdale1678]

@@imthedorf1964 and then Mystic Pizza.

[@ThisHandleWasTheOnly1Available]

The worst and most depraved was the Tracee scene. It was awful. When Tony hit Ralph - a MADE GUY! - I lost all respect for him.

[@Camcolito]

And he was doing a lot of coke. Plus she was a Whoah.

[@eljefemaximo5420]

What about Sil. That's 3 grand he'll never get back.

[@seanburton6904]

😂

[@anthonyandjohnsnaturechann8198]

​@@eljefemaximo5420 it never gets mentioned. Ralph should have to pay the points and principle

[@redwolf8634]

You know quasimodo predicted all of this.

[@Vito-Spatafore.]

Cineranter hey, nothin' I was ere it was a joke.

[@eljefemaximo5420]

Sure, say hi to your wife.

[@geedee1264]

*shoots with Lego gun

[@nonsequitor]

It's really brutal what we put artists through. Brutal and cruel. You're describing a genuinely tortured guy getting absolutely put through the wringer. I'd imagine he kept going for all sorts of reasons, family, colleagues, passion too, but essentially getting his mental health destroyed, then his physical health. Yay.

[@carmendiaz9510]

I tottaly agree with you, it was a cruel treatment for a wonderfull actor, total explotation .His early death was the result of this .

[@GriffithMustDie]

That sounds rather dramatic. The way I see it, I'd rather die young doing something I'm passionate about and leaving a huge impact on others than slaving away at soul crushing 9-to-5 for 40+ years. Audiences didn't put a gun to Gandolfini's head and force him to play Tony. He did it because he genuinely cared about the project and everyone involved. It wasn't all for nothing either. He left behind an indelible body of work and generational wealth for his children. Think of all the people struggling who have gotten enjoyment out of Jim's performance. The situation sucks particularly for his son and daughter but countless children grow up without fathers.

[@DanLetts97]

You make it sound like a grown man has absolutely no choice over what he does, or doesn’t do for a living.

[@therealkendallroy]

@@DanLetts97No, but it is kinda brutal, the extent some actors go to for a faithful portrayal of the character.

[@vespasian606]

I think you meant self deprecating though self depreciating is an interesting if accidental observation.

[@reddiver7293]

The weight gain was likely part of the cause of his demise. But brother burned his candle on both ends. And was known for coke and women binges. Totally not judging here. Here was a man who embraced feasts for his senses to the fullest. James, we lost you too soon. But you leave behind a work we will not soon forget. RIP

[@jsldj]

"You should really start considering salads."

[@user-ry6hd4kx1j]

Tony’s so tough… he survived Whacking Himself.

[@metalgawd6667]

a clickbait title for the sake of views and presenting wild rumors as "facts".....i hope ur not trying to call this journalism. he was never forced to gain weight,first of all. and as for the title of this vid, it says it was a scene he refused to film but when u get to the point of describing that scenario u end it with "who knows if it's true." but hey, u got ur views right?

[@abigail1023]

He wasn't required to gain weight for the role. That's nonsense. In fact, others working on the show were alarmed at his rapidly increasing weight. "Who knows how much of this story is true"? Yeah, it's easy to come up with dirt on someone who isn't around to refute it. Ugh.

[@chrisd7287]

Jim Gandolfini and David Chase... two geniuses working together lol

[@mrliberty8468]

You cant have that anger all built up and not have it affect your health.

[@josephringling769]

As Rick James once said. "Cocaine is a helluva drug"

[@Al-ed2jc]

Maybe Chase and his wife are just assholes and James didn't want to sit with them. James made Chase. Never heard of that fool before there was Tony. And I remember James from the movie "True Romance 1993" as Virgil the hitman.

[@TheFinalBoss25]

One of the top 5 best of all time in TV history IMO

[@AlphonseWeebay]

I think it’s clear that the masterpiece that was the sopranos was the sum of its parts and NOT the product solely of David Chase. Look at how bad the many saints turned out

[@georgeatlas2243]

*_Italian Homer Simpson ™ , the shawshank redemption ™_*

[@stoundingresults]

I think it was a move by directors to show who is in control forcing filming of the whacking of the weasel, in real life a mob boss just messes around with the strippers of the Bada Bing.

[@vranime3772]

Absolutely.

[@michaelthespikel5685]

The more you know about Gandolfini the more you like him

[@MrBlack252]

So the real reason why James did not want to do the scene was because he knew it was a stab from David Chase because of the wife situation. David Chase made that scene to embarrass James Gandolfini and James was outraged but did the scene anyway to shove it up David Chases strunz. That's why it was cut because David Chase is a petty scumbag that tried to humiliate James Gandolfini and pressure him into doing this scene only to turn around and say "ah we'll just cut it." Gandolfinis weight gain was not required for the show. James Gandolfini gained weight due to stress and having a poor diet and alcohol problem. David Chase was an absolute scumbag. James was sick and tired from the way David often treated certain cast members and how the studio wasn't paying the other actors well so James took it up on himself to pay them as you mentioned. James Gandolfini was one of my favorite actors he was absolutely amazing and was such a kind, and wonderful soul. I miss him all of the time.

[@TheMisterGuy]

What a baby! I record myself jacking it in Jersey gas stations, and I don't even know if anyone will buy the video.

[@dontdiscriminatehateeveryo9263]

He's my dad's favorite actor. He's got a picture of him from that watch ad he did back in the day where he's flipping the bird. It's one of my dad's favorite pictures of him. RIP sir. You made me fall in love with a mobster lol.

[@JohnS-il1dr]

This is how mark hamill should have reacted to the bad scripts towards Rian Johnson and Darth Kathleen Kennedy in the making of TLJ and TROS

[@greenbeagle13]

I gotta' binge this series again. I loved it just because of him...

[@civotamuaz5781]

Imagine his reaction when script called for Philly Leotardo to turn into a house.

[@BookshelfQBattler]

I don’t know for sure but I doubt they made him gain weight for the show. They just wrote it in. The Vito actor lost a lot of weight and they wrote it into the show they could have written weight loss in for Tony too.

[@Joaquin546]

If you're 51 and dropping from a heart attack it was a lot more than a tv show.

[@lewisner]

The masturbation scene was some real greaseball shit. There was nothing we could do.

[@kevinbergin9971]

2:02 "Hey Jim, come sit over here." Sounds like Mrs. Chase wasn't paying attention to her husband's work.

[@granitesevan6243]

In the words of Tony, "can we skip the preamble" with these videos please? We all know what the Sopranos is by now...

[@dannigro8794]

It could’ve been the stress of the show and the drugs or could’ve been that giant meal he ate in Italy, combined with being overweight for a few years prior.

[@CrookedSkew]

Thanks Cinerater. Interesting as always. And a great quote from Edie Falco.

[@mrknucklehead5882]

He was required to carry that weight? Seems like he gained 30 pounds or more throughout the series. I don’t think any of that was required

[@jdutchy5774]

Have you done any videos on the Deuce?

[@markellwood4132]

Just started rewatching Sopranos. Everytime I Get something new from it. It is a classic.

[@Tommy88-]

I agree, last night I watched long term parking. I never thought about how Chris sees the station wagon guys luggage 🧳 the same way Adriana is getting there’s packed up.

[@billybob9961]

Definitely my favorite series of all time I don’t think anything else even came close

[@sabrinacampbell2746]

Sons of Anarchy

[@MegaSteve1957]

Rather pointless with only one side of the story, when the man himself cannot defend himself.

[@dannytheman1313]

I think a big thing was that James could see what was happening around him, especially around 06/07 where the writing on the walls he was being typecast. He was getting tons of calls but they were all for the same type of roll. The big mob boss type of character. Not to mention filming the show was a solid eight months minimum twelve hour days in all kinds of weather usually the cold. After a while he really wanted to do something else you could tell he stayed because killing him off would have dramatically affected the show no one would have watched and all the hard work his fellow cast and crew would have been for not.

[@therealjd4life]

James Gandolfini gained weight but it wasnt for the character like Deniro in Raging Bull, no he became heavy from bad habits, drinking, and drugs. ..im sure the producers would have preferred his season 1 weight or even season 2..

[@rushmore3927]

Seems the weight gain was more to do with a slow downward health spiral, and not for the character. Apparently he was a great person and definitely a great actor.

[@nohandle62]

He had a terrible diet for heart health. His last meal reads like a heart patient's major no-no list. He killed himself with his eating habits.

[@catsupchutney]

"deprecating" is not the same as "depreciating"

[@bluecollarlit]

Kitty picture.

[@aleksisuuronen5969]

Dude did 14h days because he was practically in every scene (most) in almost every episode and during that had to memorize his lines and put it all acting wise into the character that was nothing like him. I do think he does get at that point a say so in some things (it was still very experimental series making, making more so mini-movies every episode with closer the schedule of old format of tv even if HBO). Also during that many years and overload of work aka closing in on burnout will lead to explosive conflicts here and there and there and here. All in all everybody says that he was very protective of the younger actors and a super nice guy.. but also that he did sometimes have a very rough time on the set for being sleep-deprived etc.

[@chainingten3819]

16hr sessions per day. 4 hrs of sleep a day... brutal schedule... combined with coke, tobacco, liquor, and fast food addiction.... man was crushing his health. Both physically and mentally.

[@lustwaffle]

The Sopranos , The Shield , The Wire are the trifecta of early 2000s shows.

[@CleveIndians]

Spanking it with his right hand and eating gabagool with his left.

[@antonioreconquistador]

That's a fair scene to refuse on moral grounds. In Tony's case, at his lowest he cheats with businesswomen who he doesn't cut out, which is more than destructive for a married man in the mafia to do. To spank your monkey is not only juvenile in its self destruction, it somehow makes even less sense to the storyline and his role than the other debauchery he partakes in. He has a home in season 6 iirc, it's not like he's sleeping on his boat or the other house, in jail or far out for a long period time. It'd even be pathetic in his businessman's coma.

[@CandidaRosa889]

A lot of the show is meant to destroy the image of the gangster in American media by showing that these people are actually just thugs. I don't disagree with objecting the scene but if you want to portray Tony as the scum he is it would have made sense to have such a scene

[@antonioreconquistador]

@@CandidaRosa889 yeah but if youre a rich scumbag in your 40s goin on 50s it's just a little out of character if its not established that hes addicted to sex and masturbation. He does a lot of pathetic things throughout the show, sex scenes definitely deteriorate the show's image, masturbation scenes in a gas station bathroom- not even his own or in his car or something, are kinda a pointless 30 seconds of camera work at best. Its something vito would do, maybe, but even at my worst i wouldnt.

[@CandidaRosa889]

@@antonioreconquistador Unrelated but you can't imagine a figure like Vito Corleone beating his pesce. It's much worse for Tony to do something like that because it shows that even though he has a beautiful wife and hookers, he is still a loser

[@johnsun3854]

R.I.P. Skip

[@dr.roberts4508]

Never had the makings of a varsity Jacker.

[@johnmiller5679]

Spare me on implying that maybe the eke lead to his death.

[@thedigitalpeople]

Watched the whole thing, but the beginning where you talk about the weight he had to "put on and maintain" seeing James G on Broadway many years before sopranos filmed this is 100% rubbish.

[@remycallie]

He wasn't "required" to have "increased weight." He just got fat over the course of the series.

[@tellmidd3812]

Great vid as always CineRanter. Given the breakdown in relationship towards the end of the series, perhaps the masturbation scene was vindictively created by chase to embarrass the star?

[@refusefntk]

I could see him doing that after snubbing his wife

[@caseylayton4898]

Lmao "he wouldn't ditch the people/family he came with to sit with my dramatic wife and myself. I now hate him."

[@johnnyangel9163]

Chase should have been kicked upstairs and the writers given the reigns to steer the show.He screwed it up!

[@littlekingtrashmouth9219]

Is it the best show ever made? I can’t think of a better one, and any time I watch another show, I wonder how it would be if they did it like The Sopranos. I rarely watch whole series again because there’s so many layers

[@stephenduckham9736]

No argument for me. When people talk about a subject, virtually anything, and I say- Sopranos covered that.

[@ThisHandleWasTheOnly1Available]

Well, "Martin" was pretty terrific, no?

[@A_r78]

New girl enters chat

[@bdave4221]

The wire was better Ijs

[@stephenduckham9736]

The Wire is fantastic, but it relies more on outstretched plotting. The Sopranos stays focused to a man, a family and his extended family. The finale being unable to control the world he built. This is ironic because, in the first episode, he wishes for a happy, simple, and small existence with his ducks. The enivitable happens, and the ducks flee the nest. The wire is more about life being in a cycle (which the Sopranos covers) but ultimately cannot, and does not, alter.

[@dannylojkovic5205]

You do hear the other actors say that James never saw himself as a great actor. Outside of the Sopranos though, in 12 Angry Men, he was a great actor in my opinion. I’ve seen some of his other stuff, but it was a while ago at this point. He was also very funny on SNL when he went on. I don’t think he appreciated himself as much as the audience did

[@Aohhmadone]

I was thereee! It’s A Joke!!!!

[@dbboss8455]

I.m a fan of yours but not of this video... tony is tony definitely in season 6...so who knows better then him... a mob boss does not jerk off in a gas station bathroom.. and he probably flip out cus he knows the audience would think that scene is dumb and not authentic

[@robertsav]

Great man, he was taken too soon