In honour of The Sopranos returning for a big-screen prequel, NME sat down with the cast, director and writer of The Many Saints Of Newark to hear about their favourite ever scenes from the series. Oh!
When Paulie visits the medium
Chosen by: Michael Gandolfini, who plays Tony Soprano
“My greatest moment of all The Sopranos? Oh my god… Paulie Walnuts going to the medium’s house. When he talks to the ghost is one of my favourite moments for sure.”
Tony winds Janice up at dinner time
Chosen by: MG
“Paulie is great, but I also like when Janice goes to anger management and she starts getting better and Tony is poking her at the dinner table until they argue. I love that sequence.”
Gloria sweeps Tony off his feet
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Chosen by: LOJ
“So I watched the series top to bottom after having shot the movie and I just loved the whole thing – but I thought that when Gloria came on and had that affair with Tony, that whole storyline, man, was a ride!”
The rise of Bobby Bacala
Chosen by: Leslie Odom Jr., who plays Harold McBrayer
“Bobby’s storyline, I think it’s season four or five. Deep into the series this periphery character takes centre stage. I won’t spoil it for anybody but he has this family tragedy and he takes centre stage. I was so moved by his work.”
Tony in the coma
Chosen by: Michela De Rossi, who plays Giuseppina Bruno
“I think in the series, my favourite moment is when Tony goes into the coma. You can see all the different characters’ real nature, without him alive. You can connect all the seasons and you can say: ‘Oh now I get you. You’re like this.'”
When Carmela grabs a Kalashnikov
Chosen by: director Alan Taylor
“There are some great Carmela moments that are just so perfect. There’s this ridiculous, it’s just a quick action thing that in fact doesn’t fit in with the rest of the show at all, but in the pilot she hears sounds outside the house and she runs over and opens this little cabinet. It’s part of a column and there’s two grenades and a rifle in there! She grabs the rifle and runs outside. I love the idea that that’s part of her potential as a character, even though that was never really explored again in the show.”
“Nostradamus and Notre Dame. It’s two different things completely”
Chosen by: creator David Chase
“I’m kind of ashamed because it’s something that I wrote. I look back and I’m amazed at the scene between Tony and [Bobby] Bacala after the World Trade Center, when they’re talking about the World Trade Center and Quasimodo and Nostradamus, that whole nonsensical conversation. I like that a lot.”
‘The Many Saints Of Newark’ is released in UK cinemas on October 22