Michael Gandolfini & Blake Rice Talk Cannes-Selected, Oscar Contender Short ‘Tea’; Shared New Jersey Roots & Setting Zany-Dramatic Tone
deadline.comMichael Gandolfini’s star rose sharply with his appearance in 2021 The Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark as a young Tony Soprano, the fictitious crime boss immortalized by his late father James Gandolfini.
The role saw him splashed across the culture and entertainment pages at home and worldwide, after a series of youthful, smaller parts including alongside Tom Holland in Cherry.
Gandolfini has since racked up credits on half a dozen features and series including Cat Person, Beau Is Afraid and Bob Marley: One World and is soon to be seen in Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s Iraqi War drama Warfare and upcoming Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again, for which he is confirmed in season 2.
A serendipitous outcome of The Many Saints of Newark was his friendship with producer and actor Gabriella Piazza, who played Joanne Moltisanti in the show, who in turn introduced him to emerging director Blake Rice. “We became very close, and then I became really good friends with Blake,” says Gandolfini.
Read more on deadline.com
