“The Sopranos” is turning 25.
The popular show first premiered on HBO, now known as Max, in January 1999. It starred James Gandolfini as the head of an Italian mob family, Tony Soprano, who starts seeing a psychiatrist after his home life and business life start to affect his mental health.
During the height of its popularity, “The Sopranos” drew 13.2 million viewers and won 21 Emmy Awards in various categories and five Golden Globes and came in at No. 1 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest TV shows of all time in 2022.
“The reason ‘The Sopranos’ is so successful … is because it deals with children, it deals with parents, it deals with family. I mean, I think the older characters on ‘The Sopranos,’ especially in the beginning, I mean, you don’t see older characters written like that,” Gandolfini told “60 Minutes” in 2005. “I just think it’s so well written. The writers … I think they’re unbelievable. I sit there and read it and just go, ‘Jesus Christ, that’s so g—–n smart.'”
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“The Sopranos” premiered in January 1999 and became one of the most popular shows of all time. (Anthony Neste/Getty Images)
Here’s a look back at the star-studded cast.
James Gandolfini
Gandolfini won three Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe and five SAG Awards for playing Tony Soprano. (Getty Images)
James Gandolfini starred in many popular movies, including “12 Angry Men” and “True Romance,” before playing Tony Soprano in “The Sopranos,” a role that earned him three Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe, five SAG Awards and other nominations.
While leading the show, he also starred in “The Mexican,” “Surviving Christmas” and “All the King’s Men,” “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Zero Dark Thirty” and more.
His final films included “The Drop” and “Enough Said,” for which he earned his eighth Emmy and a SAG Award nomination.
Gandolfini was married to Marcy Wudarski from 1999 to 2002, and they share a son, Michael. He then married Deborah Lin in August 2008, and they have a daughter, Liliane. Gandolfini died in Rome in June 2013 after having a heart attack. He was 51. His son Michael played the younger version of his character, Tony Soprano, in the 2021 film, “The Many Saints of Newark.”
Edie Falco
Falco starred in “Nurse Jackie,” and played Hillary Clinton in “American Crime Story.” (Getty Images)
Edie Falco had been acting since the late 1980s, starring in “Loving” and “Oz,” before landing the part of Carmela Soprano on “The Sopranos,” a role that earned her three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards and five SAG Awards, along with many other nominations.
While on the show, she also starred in “The Great New Wonderful” and “Freedomland.” Just two years after the end of “The Sopranos,” Falco found another starring role in “Nurse Jackie.” She played Jackie Peyton on the show for 80 episodes over seven seasons, receiving eight SAG Award nominations, four Golden Globe nominations and six Emmy nominations, with one win, for the role.
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In that time, she also received a Tony Award nomination for her role in “The House of Blue Leaves.” She went on to star in “Outside In,” “Tommy” and “American Crime Story,” in which she played Hillary Clinton. Most recently, she starred in “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Mother” and “I’ll Be Right There.”
Falco adopted her son, Anderson, in 2005, and her daughter, Macy, in 2008.
Lorraine Bracco
Bracco played Jennifer Melfi in “The Sopranos” and Angela Rizzoli in “Rizzoli & Isles.” (Getty Images)
Lorraine Bracco broke into the industry with her Academy Award-nominated performance in “Goodfellas” before landing the role of Jennifer Melfi in “The Sopranos.” The role earned her 10 SAG nominations, three Golden Globe nominations and four Emmy nominations.
During her time on the show, Bracco also starred in “Riding in Cars with Boys” and “Crazy for Love,” later starring in “Snowglobe” and “I Married a Mobster.” In 2010, she began starring as Angela Rizzoli in the hit show “Rizzoli & Isles” for 105 episodes through seven seasons.
Most recently, she appeared in “Blue Bloods,” “A Ring for Christmas,” “Pinocchio,” “Jacir” and “Jerk.”
Bracco was married to Frenchman Daniel Guerard from 1979 to 1982, and they have one daughter, Margaux. She then entered a 12-year relationship with Harvey Keitel, and they share their daughter, Stella. Bracco was married to Edward James Olmos from 1994 to 2002.
Michael Imperioli
Imperioli recently starred as Dominic Di Grasso in season 2 of “The White Lotus.” (Getty Images)
Michael Imperioli got his start in “Goodfellas,” before starring in “Jungle Fever,” “Bad Boys” and “The Basketball Diaries.” He later starred as Christopher Moltisanti in “The Sopranos,” a role that earned him five Emmy nominations, two Golden Globe nominations and seven SAG Award nominations.
In that time, he also starred in “Summer of Sam,” “Love in the Time of Money” and “Shark Tale.” When the show came to an end, he starred in “Life on Mars,” “The Lovely Bones,” “Detroit 1-8-7” and “Californication”
He continued to act in both movies and TV shows, including “Mad Dogs,” “Alex, Inc.,” “The Last Full Measure” and “Primal.” Most recently, he starred in “One Night in Miami…,” “The Many Saints of Newark,” “The White Lotus” and “This Fool.”
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Imperioli married Victoria Chlebowski in 1996, and they have two children, David and Vadim. He is also the stepfather of Chlebowski’s daughter Isabella, from a previous relationship.
Steven Van Zandt
Van Zandt is a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. (Getty Images)
Steven Van Zandt got his start in acting in the 1985 movie “American Flyer,” before starring as Silvio Dante in “The Sopranos.” He later starred in “Lilyhammer,” “The Christmas Chronicles,” “The Irishman” and “Under the Boardwalk.”
The actor is also a prolific musician. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, playing guitar and mandolin. In 2014, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the band. He embarked on a solo career, with the release of his album, “Men Without Women,” in October 1981, under the name Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul.
He went on to release six more solo albums, including “Voice of America,” “Revolution” and “Summer of Sorcery.” In 2002, Van Zandt began hosting his own radio show, “Little Steven’s Underground Garage,” which, as of 2006, is played on over 200 US radio stations. In 2004, he started his own record label, Wicked Cool Records.
Van Zandt married Maureen Santoro in December 1982.
Robert Iler
Iler retired from acting after “The Sopranos” ended. (Getty Images)
Robert Iler only had one acting credit before landing the role of A.J. Soprano in “The Sopranos.” While on the show, he also appeared in “Tadpole,” “Daredevil,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “The Dead Zone.”
After the show came to an end, Iler retired from acting.
“After ‘Sopranos,’ I told my manager I wanted six months off to go play poker and hang out with my friends and just do whatever,” Iler said on the “Talking Sopranos” podcast. “And he kept calling — ‘It’s been a year,’ ‘It’s been two years.’ The only thing I have done since ‘Sopranos’ is I got called to do jury duty, and I didn’t want to do jury duty … so twice, to get out of jury duty, I did an episode of ‘Law & Order.’”
Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Sigler is best known for playing Meadow Soprano in “The Sopranos.” (Getty Images)
Jamie-Lynn Sigler had only appeared in “A Brooklyn State of Mind” before starring as Meadow Soprano in “The Sopranos.” While on the show, she appeared in a few music videos and in episodes of “Will & Grace.”
Following her time on the show, Sigler appeared in episodes of popular shows like “Entourage,” “Ugly Betty” and “Drop Dead Diva” before getting a starring role on the short-lived sitcom, “Guys with Kids.”
She continued to act, starring in “Anatomy of the Tide,” “The Christmas Note,” “Justice” and “Gangster Land.” Most recently, she appeared in “Beef House,” “The Virgin of Highland Park” and “Big Sky.” Sigler initially didn’t think it would be possible to star in “Big Sky” due to her multiple sclerosis diagnosis but said production “stepped up” and made it happen.
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“The accommodations they’ve made for me, like professionally what the show has done for me and allowing me to really realize that living with MS is not a burden, and my talent is still of worth, and they’re willing to work around from top to bottom,” she said on “Live with Kelly and Mark” in April 2022. “I think it’s just been a really good lesson for me.”
Sigler was afraid her MS diagnosis would prevent her from getting acting roles, but her experience on “Big Sky” taught her otherwise. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
Sigler was married to Abraxas “A.J.” DiScala from 2003 to 2005. She then married Cutter Dykstra in 2016, and they have two sons, Jack and Beau.
Tony Sirico
Sirico played Paulie Gualtieri on “The Sopranos.” (Getty Images)
Prior to starring as Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri on “The Sopranos,” Tony Sirico appeared in the films “The One Man Jury,” “The Pick-up Artist” and “Mighty Aphrodite.” While on the show, he starred in a few projects, including “It Had to Be You,” “Turn of Faith” and “The Fairly OddParents.”
He continued to act after the show ended, appearing in a few shorts and TV movies, later starring in “Friends and Romans,” “Touched” and “Wonder Wheel,” one of the many Woody Allen movies he acted in. He worked with Allen in films that included”Cafe Society,” “Deconstructing Harry” and “Everyone Says I Love You.”
Most recently, Sirico starred in “Sarah Q,” “If I Go Will They Miss Me” and “Respect the Jux.”
Sirico has two children, Joanne and Richard. The actor died in July 2022, just weeks before his 80th birthday. No cause of death was given, however, he had been suffering with dementia for years prior to his death.
Dominic Chianese
Chianese was a Broadway actor before making the transition to film in 1974. (Getty Images)
Dominic Chianese was a stage actor, having made his Broadway debut in “Oliver” in 1964, before transitioning to film in 1974 with roles in “The Godfather Part II,” “All the President’s Men,” “And Justice for All” and “Ryan’s Hope.” He went on to star as Junior Soprano in “The Sopranos.”
The actor starred in other projects while on the show, including “Under Hellgate Bridge,” “Unfaithful” and “When Will I Be Loved.” When the show ended in 2007, Chianese starred in “The Last New Yorker” and made appearances on “Damages,” “The Family,” “Boardwalk Empire” and “The Good Wife.”
Most recently, he starred in “Active Adults” and “The Village.”
Aida Turturro
Turturro played Janice Soprano in “The Sopranos,” a role that earned her two Emmy nominations. (Getty Images)
Aida Turturro had been acting since the early 1990s before starring as Janice Soprano in “The Sopranos,” having appeared in “Life with Mikey,” “Junior,” “Stonewall” and “The 24 Hour Woman.” Her role in “The Sopranos” earned her two Emmy nominations.
While on the show, Turturro also starred in “Sidewalks of New York” and “Romance & Cigarettes.” When the show came to an end, Turturro mostly appeared as a guest on various TV shows, including “ER,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Nurse Jackie” and “Blue Bloods.”
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She continued to make appearances on TV shows, including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Kaljave Game.” Most recently, she appeared in “Call Jane,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “The Blacklist.”
Steve Schirripa
Schirripa starred in “The Secret Life of an American Teenager” on Freeform. (Getty Images)
Steve Schirripa joined the cast of “The Sopranos,” playing Bobby ‘Bacala’ Baccalieri in 2000, just a few years after making his acting debut. While on the show, he starred in “See Spot Run” and appeared in episodes of “George Lopez,” “My Wife and Kids” and “Star Trek: Enterprise.”
Just a year after the end of the series, Schirripa starred as Leo Boykewich in “The Secret Life of an American Teenager” for five seasons, from 2008 to 2013. Shortly after, he began starring, and continues to star, as Anthony Abetemarco in “Blue Bloods.”
He has also appeared in “Chasing Yesterday,” “Wonder Wheel” and “Under the Boardwalk.” Schirripa has been hosting the podcast “Talking Sopranos” with former co-star, Michael Imperioli since April 2020, during which the two watch episodes of the show and give behind-the-scenes information.
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Schirripa married Laura Lemos in 1989. They have two children, Bria and Ciara.
Drea de Matteo
De Matteo starred in “Desperate Housewives,” “Sons of Anarchy” and “Shades of Blue.” (Getty Images)
Drea De Matteo got her big break when she landed the role of Adriana La Cerva in “The Sopranos,” a part that earned her an Emmy Award win and Golden Globe nomination.
While on the show, she also starred as Gina Tribbiani on the “Friends” spin-off, “Joey,” from 2004 to 2006. She then starred in “The Good Life” and “Lake City” before starring as Wendy Case on the hit show “Sons of Anarchy” while simultaneously starring as Angie Bolen in season 4 of “Desperate Housewives.”
During her time on “Sons of Anarchy,” De Matteo appeared as a guest on “CSI: Miami,” “Californication,” “The Mindy Project” and “Free Ride.” She went on to star in the short-lived crime drama “Shades of Blue,” “A Million Little Things” and “Paradise City.” Most recently, she appeared in “Safe Space,” “Collide” and “One Way.”
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De Matteo was in a relationship with musician Shooter Jennings from 2001 to 2012. They had two children together, daughter Alabama and son Waylon. She’s been engaged to Whitesnake bass guitarist Michael Devin, since July 2015.