The Sopranos was the first jewel in HBO's "Prestige TV" crown, known for its unpredictable
plot, gritty realism, and introducing the word 'gabagool' to people outside of New Jersey
"Gabagool?
Over here!"
But perhaps the biggest key to the show's success was the talented ensemble cast, most
of whom we learned to love and hate in equal measure over the course of six unforgettable
seasons.
Here's where your favorite Sopranos actors are now.
Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano
Critical acclaim followed Edie Falco into her first major post-Sopranos project, Showtime's
Nurse Jackie, with the Brooklyn-born actress playing the namesake role in the edgy dramedy,
from 2009 until it came to an end in 2015.
She later moved on to Louis C.K.'s popular 2016 web series Horace and Pete and has dabbled
in movies in recent years, though she hasn't left TV behind; her recent projects include
the Law and Order miniseries True Crime: The Menendez Murders.
Robert Iler as A.J.
Soprano
After The Sopranos, Robert Iler gave up acting for poker, moving to Las Vegas in 2012 so
he could focus on the World Series of Poker full-time after entering the high-stakes competition
on a handful of occasions as a youngster.
He says his obsession with card games started when his grandmother taught him how to play
Rummy and Gin.
Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Meadow Soprano
Like Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler peaked early with the The Sopranos, never managing
to outgrow it despite her best efforts.
She tried to launch a career in pop music during the show's run, though when that died
and her time as Meadow ended, opportunities were hard to come by.
The real reason for her sparse filmography was revealed in 2016, when the actress admitted
that she had been suffering from MS for almost 15 years, saying the last time she had the
energy to run was while filming the Sopranos finale.
Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti
In the years since his character was killed off by Tony, Michael Imperioli hasn't managed
to find the same levels of acclaim he enjoyed while playing the tragic Christopher, as a
quick glance at his splat-heavy Rotten Tomatoes record proves.
Of his last 15 films reviewed by the website's network of critics, 13 have been declared
rotten.
In the Spring of 2017, he was lured back to television, appearing as Zach Braff's right-hand
hand man in the ABC comedy Alex, Inc..
Drea de Matteo as Adriana La Cerva
While Queens-born actress Drea de Matteo has dabbled in film from time to time, she's stuck
with TV for the most part since meeting her end in The Sopranos: she played Joey Tribbiani's
sister Gina in his short-lived Friends spinoff, brassy Italian-American Angie in Desperate
Housewives, and Jax's ex-wife Wendy in Sons of Anarchy before supporting Jennifer Lopez
in the NBC cop drama Shades of Blue.
Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante
A guitarist in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Steven Van Zandt had never acted in
a major role before portraying Silvio Dante on The Sopranos.
After his character was left comatose in the finale, he went back to music, of course,
but also had a stint on Lilyhammer, the first-ever Netflix original series.
Netflix pulled the plug in 2015, canceling the show after three seasons, and Van Zandt
hasn't on-screen in anything since.
Tony Sirico as Paulie Walnuts
Real-life ex-con and self-described former "pistol-packin' guy" Tony Sirico reunited
with Steven Van Zandt in Lilyhammer for two episodes starting in 2013, and with Woody
Allen for 2016's Cafe Society, having appeared in the past in Allen's Bullets Over Broadway
and Deconstructing Harry.
Sirico hasn't done much in the years since, though he occasionally cashes in on his tough
guy image with cameos.
Dominic Chianese as Uncle Junior
Best known for his role as Tony's pain-in-the-ass Uncle Junior, Dominic Chianese plied his trade
post-Sopranos on 12 episodes of Boardwalk Empire, another gangland hit for HBO.
Outside of acting, Chianese has a side career as a tenor, which won't come as a surprise
to Sopranos fans who watched him bring grown mobsters to tears with his performance in
the Season 3 finale.
He hasn't giving up on acting—recent projects include a remake of the postwar Italian masterpiece
Umberto D.
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano
The late James Gandolfini made his living as a character actor before being cast in
the career-defining role of Tony Soprano.
Following Gandolfini's 2013 death from a heart attack while on vacation in Rome with his
family, Sopranos showrunner David Chase paid tribute to his leading man, calling him a
"genius."
Gandolfini was on a real run when he passed, appearing in five Rotten Tomatoes Certified
Fresh films in the space of two years…
"listen it sounds corny, but you broke my heart.
And I'm too old for that s---."
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