“The Sopranos” is highly regarded as one of the greatest TV shows of all time, having premiered in 1999, and delivering six epic seasons of mafia crime drama, a deeply complex family saga, and unforgettable characters like Tony Soprano, played by the late James Gandolfini.
On Feb. 27, during an event celebrating the beloved series at New York City’s Museum of the Moving Image, actress Edie Falco, who portrayed Carmela Soprano, reflected on her time on the groundbreaking drama and even admitted she remains in shock that so many of her co-stars have sadly passed away since the show concluded in 2007.
Edie Falco Reflects on ‘The Sopranos’ Co-Stars Who Have Passed Away
GettyActress Edie Falco, whose portrayal of mob boss Tony Soprano’s wife, Carmela Soprano, on “The Sopranos” continues to captivate audiences, remains closely associated with the iconic role nearly 30 years after the show premiered.
Sitting alongside “The Sopranos” creator David Chase and actor Dominic Chianese, who portrayed Corrado “Junior” Soprano on the six-season series, Falco reflected on her iconic role.
“I still don’t have an intellectual perspective on what the heck went on for those 10 years of my life. It is so evocative to watch,” she said (via People).
However, what has impacted Falco the most is the realization that so many of her former co-stars have passed away in the years since the show ended.
Getty“I can’t even begin to tell you, first and foremost, about how many of those people are gone. It still knocks me off my feet,” she shared.
According to People, those who have died include Jerry Adler, who played Hesh Rabkin; Nancy Marchand, who portrayed Tony Soprano’s mother, Livia Soprano; Charley Scalies, who played Coach Molinaro; Tony Sirico, who portrayed the fiercely loyal soldier to Tony, “Paulie Walnuts” Gualtieri, and, of course, James Gandolfini, the actor behind Tony Soprano himself.
Falco Reflects on Working Alongside James Gandolfini on ‘The Sopranos’
GettyJames Gandolfini’s death at the age of 51 was a shock to his “The Sopranos” family and to the world. The actor passed away after suffering a heart attack on June 19, 2013, while on vacation in Italy, per Biography.
In 2021, Falco reflected on working alongside Gandolfini, sharing with “The New Yorker,” “We had such a strangely specific, similar way that we work, and a similar background. I don’t know how to explain this. We were just really regular middle-class, suburban kids that were never supposed to become famous actors.”
She continued, “He was totally un-actor-y, and was incredibly self-deprecating, and he was a real soul mate in that regard. We did not spend a lot of time talking about the scripts.”
“It was like when you see two kids playing in the sandbox, completely immersed in their imaginary world. That’s what it felt like acting opposite Jim,” Falco added.
“The Sopranos” cast reunited in 2024 to celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary, with the cast and creator David Chase reflecting on the profound impact Gandolfini’s portrayal of Tony Soprano had on audiences.
“They loved him because Jim had some magic in him, but you saw this damaged heart or something in that character,” he shared with Today.
Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who portrayed Tony’s daughter, Meadow Soprano, also discussed her connection with Gandolfini. “I felt protected by him and loved by him. And he really was one of a kind, and I feel very lucky to have been guided by him for as long as I was,” she touchingly said.
