Lorraine Bracco famously played the psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Melfi in The Sopranos, a role she asked for instead of the lead female role. Having played the role of the wife of a mob boss in Goodfellas, Bracco wanted to try something different in David Chase’s series. During a 2021 interview, she talked highly of her late co-star James Gandolfini, who played Tony Soprano.
Bracco and Gandolfini showed incredible chemistry in the series with their doctor-patient relationship. While Bracco’s character couldn’t foresee the outcome of her sessions with Tony Soprano, the actress was able to predict Gandolfini’s rise to fame.
Lorraine Bracco Could See James Gandolfini’s Thriving Career Years Before The Sopranos
Lorraine Bracco has worked with some of Hollywood’s greatest and one of her favorite co-stars was James Gandolfini. She took on the more intellectual role of Dr. Jennifer Melfi in Gandolfini’s epic crime drama series The Sopranos. The sessions between the psychiatrist and her Mafia boss patient often gave an adrenaline rush to the viewers.
During an interview with GQ in 2021, Bracco had a little story to tell about her late co-star. She told the publication, “I love Jimmy.” Bracco first saw Gandolfini in the playbook of the Broadway adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire.
The 1992 adaptation, starring a young and hot Alec Baldwin and King Kong star Jessica Lange, also starred Gandolfini in a small part. Bracco was impressed with the actor and recalled singling him out of the list of actors in the playbook. Bracco shared with GQ:
I remember going through the playbook and going ‘who is that guy?’ And I remember saying ‘James Gan-dol-fini.’ I picked him out a long time ago.
Bracco also revealed that she had shared this story with Gandolfini during their time together on The Sopranos. As she recalled, Gandolfini was shocked by her revelation. Gandolfini sadly passed away in 2013 at the age of 51 due to a sudden heart attack.
James Gandolfini Was An Acting Genius In The Sopranos
Fans and critics would agree that James Gandolfini was a genius when it came to playing the role of Tony Soprano. During an interview with Rolling Stone in 2001, Gandolfini opened up about his role as a family-man Mafia boss in the crime drama. He shared, “I’m a neurotic mess. I’m really basically a 260-pound Woody Allen.”
This 260-pound Woody Allen managed to change TV forever with his violence-infused show. He might have inspired characters like Breaking Bad‘s Walter White and Game of Thrones‘ Tyrion Lannister, who went on to become fan favorites despite their gruesome crimes. Over the six seasons, Gandolfini did the major heavy lifting for the success of the series.
Fans continued to discuss his acting chops in The Sopranos years after the conclusion of the series. One Redditor pointed out in r/thesopranos one amazing scene where Gandolfini was able to convey everything with his body language and minimal dialogue. In his tribute to the actor, The Sopranos creator David Chase called him a “genius”, even comparing him to Mozart (via The Telegraph).
The Sopranos is now available for streaming on Max.
