‘Sopranos’ Creator David Chase Remembers Tony Sirico’s “Incredible Talent” After Actor's Passing

Over the weekend, news arrived that “The Sopranos” star Tony Sirico passed away at the age of 79. Though he’s best known as Paulie “Walnuts” from the HBO classic series, Sirico made numerous appearances in various films and TV series, perhaps most notably in various Woody Allen films. But honestly, folks will probably remember Sirico for his hilarious role in “The Sopranos.” David Chase, definitely, will remember him most from that era.

Speaking to Vulture, ‘Sopranos’ creator David Chase shared numerous stories about Tony Sirico on the set of the HBO crime series, explaining just how incredible the actor was during his time in the cast. Most of the stories were about how Sirico’s character played so well off of Michael Imperioli in the show. Chase doesn’t mince words while talking about just how special Sirico was. 

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“I didn’t think of it as leaning on him as much as just taking advantage of this incredible talent,” said Chase about how Sirico’s role expanded as the series progressed. “We would have been foolish not to have given him as much material as we could justify.”

He continued, “And now I’m thinking about that storyline where Paulie finds out the woman he thought was his mother wasn’t his mother. He was great! And that was a pretty dramatic storyline. He was haunting. There was something subconscious that Tony had, the way he approached things. I can’t explain what it was. I’m not sure he understood it himself. I’m not sure that he even knew that he had it.”

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The whole interview also expands on more stories about Sirico’s kindness, humility, and impeccable sense of humor. Chase also explains how he finds himself thinking about Sirico’s place in the afterlife.

“I find myself picturing Tony in the afterlife. That never happens to me when somebody dies! But I picture Tony in the afterlife. I see him,” explained Chase. “Just being himself. I picture other people reacting to him, the way that you and I used to react to him. They’re laughing, but they’re also kind of put off.”

When asked what Sirico might be wearing while entertaining other folks in the afterlife, Chase plainly states, “A tracksuit.”

If you want to revisit Sirico’s role in “The Sopranos,” the entire series is available to watch on HBO Max.