Michael Gandolfini is a spitting image of his late father, James Gandolfini, and it was on full display Wednesday when the cast of The Sopranos showed up in New York City to celebrate the iconic HBO show’s 25th anniversary.
Michael, 24, looked dapper in a black pinstriped suit as he smiled ear to ear while flanked by his girlfriend, the Australian actress Mia Healey. Michael got bombarded with hugs, handshakes and kisses as he walked the red carpet at Da Nico Ristorante, where the cast and crew came together for the momentous occasion.
At one point, actress Kathrine Narducci, who played Charmaine Bucco, offered a warm hug on the red carpet. Some of the other stars who attended the shindig included Lorraine Bracco (Dr. Jennifer Melfi), Steve Schirripa (Bobby Baccalieri), Vincent Pastore (Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero), Aida Turturro (Janice Soprano) and Federico Castelluccio (Furio Giunta), among others.
Michael’s father, James, portrayed reputed New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano on the hit HBO series. James died of a heart attack in 2013. He was 51. James scored three Emmy Awards for his lead role on the groundbreaking series created by David Chase, who initially had hoped the series would not get the green light at HBO in hopes of turning it into a feature film.
Chase ultimately did get a chance to give Sopranos fans a taste on the big screen, when he brought to life the prequel, The Many Saints of Newark, in which Michael played a young Tony Soprano.
While channeling the younger version of his father’s iconic character, Michael also drew on his experience as a young boy visiting the set and watching his dad in action.
“I mean, The Sopranos to me was my dad in a robe eating some food during lunch, and me maybe sleeping in The Sopranos bed every now and then, but really it was just like if my dad was a contractor, it was something that I would just kind of go and it was my dad’s job, you know, so I didn’t know it was unusual,” Michael told ET in 2021 of his time on the beloved series’ set.
“It’s a profound honor to continue my dad’s legacy while stepping into the shoes of a young Tony Soprano,” Michael said in a statement to ET after he was cast in the film. “I’m thrilled that I am going to have the opportunity to work with David Chase and the incredible company of talent he has assembled for The Many Saints of Newark.”
