David Chase was inspired by both fictional mobsters and real-life gangsters when creating The Sopranos' protagonist Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini). Drawing on fictional characters like Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), The Sopranos changed US television forever, and also added new layers to the gangster genre — tackling subjects like male mental health, and how the mob viewed homosexuality. The Sopranos was also heavily influenced by the real-world crime families associated with the Mafia in contemporary America. For example, an early scene in The Sopranos season 1 sees Tony quizzed on real-life mobster John Gotti.
It's the fact that the influence of these real-world gangsters bleeds into the show that has convinced viewers there's a "real" Tony Soprano. While it's more likely that David Chase amalgamated various fictional and real gangsters to create Tony Soprano, there are several candidates for the real-life inspiration behind James Gandolfini's Sopranos character. The real-life gangster who is most...
It's the fact that the influence of these real-world gangsters bleeds into the show that has convinced viewers there's a "real" Tony Soprano. While it's more likely that David Chase amalgamated various fictional and real gangsters to create Tony Soprano, there are several candidates for the real-life inspiration behind James Gandolfini's Sopranos character. The real-life gangster who is most...
- 12/23/2024
- by Mark Donaldson, Tom Russell
- ScreenRant
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