Vote up the 'Many Saints of Newark' actors you think are the best fit for their roles as classic 'Sopranos' characters
Almost 15 years after the infamous finale of The Sopranos aired on HBO, a prequel film called The Many Saints of Newark is set to premiere in theaters and on HBO Max on October 1. Fans are abuzz about the movie's new trailer, its story revolving around the racial unrest that roiled Newark, New Jersey in the '60s and '70s, and the decision to cast James Gandolfini's son Michael in the role of young Tony Soprano. As we get closer to the movie's premiere, we finally know who, besides Michael, is being cast in some of the most iconic roles in television history. Vote up the casting decisions in the list below that you think are pitch perfect, and vote down the ones you think should have gone to a different actor.
Tony Soprano is the protagonist of the original Sopranos series. A capo in the New Jersey-based DiMeo crime family at the outset of the series, the show follows Tony as he seizes control of the organization, tries to provide for his wife and children, and deals with his depression in therapy.
Livia Soprano is Tony's manipulative, narcissistic mother. Much of the first few seasons of The Sopranos is spent examining Tony' love/hate relationship with Livia and watching him come to terms with the idea that she may not have his best interests at heart.
Corrado John "Junior" Soprano is Tony's uncle, and throughout most of TheSopranos, he is the official head of the DiMeo crime family. Junior and Tony are frequently enemies throughout the original series, but it's suggested that their relationship was friendlier during Tony's childhood.
Samson Moeakiola as Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero
Sal Bonpensiero is Tony's childhood friend and a soldier in the DiMeo family. His nickname "Big Pussy" is an affectionate reference to the character's past as a cat burglar. Sal is said to have been "made" around the same time as Tony, Jackie Aprile, and Silvio — we'll likely learn more about that timeline once the movie is released.
Johnny Boy Soprano is Tony's father, another member of the DiMeo crime family. Johnny Boy and his brother Junior "ran North Jersey" during the time The Many Saints of Newark takes place, according to the original series. A few flashbacks in The Sopranos series tell us a little bit about Johnny Boy and Tony's childhood, but the upcoming film promises to shed much more light on the character of Tony Soprano's father.
Janice Soprano is Tony's older sister and the daughter of Johnny Boy and Livia Soprano. After the death of their father, Janice changed her name to "Parvati" and headed for the West Coast, leaving Tony to deal with their troublesome mother alone. It'll be interesting to see what young Janice was like when the Soprano family was all living under one roof.
