Sopranos Actors You Didn’t Know Were in The Godfather?!

The Godfather trilogy and The Sopranos series are often praised for their authentic depiction of the criminal underworld, and certain performers have been fortunate enough to participate in both. The Godfather movie series, stemming from Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather, garnered global acclaim following its debut in 1972. Meanwhile, The Sopranos, which chronicles the life of troubled mob boss Tony Soprano, saw instant success upon the premiere of its first season in 1999.

In the TV series, The Sopranos, there are frequent references to The Godfather trilogy. Characters like Tony and his crew often speak highly of the Corleone family, expressing their admiration, and at times, they reminisce about or misinterpret events from the movies. Numerous subtle homages to The Godfather can be found throughout the series. One particularly notable tribute is when Silvio Dante, a character in The Sopranos, performs an impressive impression of Michael Corleone. Given that The Godfather holds a significant place in the world of The Sopranos, and with several actors appearing in both productions, the link between the Sopranos’ crew and the Corleones is even more fascinating.

Dominic Chianese Portrays Johnny Ola in The Godfather Part II

In simpler terms, the character Corrado “Junior” Soprano, often referred to as “Uncle Jun,” is Tony’s uncle. From the very first episode of The Sopranos, Junior was seen as someone others did not want to cross due to his ruthless actions like murdering Gennaro “Little Pussy” Malanga, an act that Tony later intervened to stop. Dominic Chianese played Junior as a smart and tough character with a touch of humor, but he was also very obstinate and resistant to change.

In the movie “The Godfather Part II,” it was Aidan Quinn who portrayed Johnny Ola, a character who served as a mobster and enforcer for the film’s villain, Hyman Roth. The character of Johnny Ola was modeled after the real-life figure Vincent Alo, who had close ties with infamous gangster Meyer Lansky. Interestingly, when Aidan Quinn landed the role in The Godfather Part II, he had only one acting credit to his name at that time. After his breakout performance as Johnny Ola, Quinn went on to star in numerous other films, such as “Dog Day Afternoon” (1975) and “Looking for Richard” (1996), alongside Robert Duvall, who played Michael Corleone. Apart from The Sopranos, The Godfather Part II, and Boardwalk Empire on HBO, Quinn also appeared in other productions.

Tony Lip Had an Uncredited Role in The Godfather

Tony Lip depicted the head of the Lupertazzi crime family, Carmine Lupertazzi, in the series The Sopranos. Carmine and Tony had a steady relationship as leaders of the Lupertazzi and DiMeo crime families. Unfortunately, Carmine succumbed to a stroke, sparking a power struggle between his son, Little Carmine Lupertazzi, and his underboss, Johnny Sack. Throughout the show, Lip portrayed the elder Lupertazzi as a traditional mobster who was mostly reasonable and logical, with a strong emphasis on maintaining successful business ventures.

Prior to landing the role of Carmine, Tony Lip had his initial acting experience in “The Godfather.” Interestingly enough, this iconic movie was Lip’s debut performance. Although he didn’t receive any formal credit, Lip can be spotted as a wedding guest at Connie Corleone and Carlo Rizzi’s nuptials. If you take a closer look during the wedding sequence in “The Godfather,” you might catch a glimpse of Lip for a moment, holding a cigar behind Don Vito Corleone.

Tony Sirico Had an Uncredited Role in The Godfather Part II

In the television series “The Sopranos,” Tony Sirico played the character Peter Paul Gualtieri, more commonly known as Paulie Walnuts. This character was a reliable associate within the DiMeo crime family. Throughout the show, Paulie Walnuts was frequently depicted as impulsive, aggressive, and unpredictable, yet he could also be somewhat annoying and suspicious. However, his loyalty to Tony was often questioned by fans of “The Sopranos” for nearly two decades, as there has been much speculation about whether or not Paulie Walnuts ultimately turned against him.

In my enthusiasm as a fan, let me share this: Prior to his groundbreaking work on The Sopranos, Tony Sirico had just one acting credit under his belt – and that was in The Godfather Part II! Much like Dominic Chianese, Sirico initially appeared as an uncredited extra. Specifically, he played a minor role in the scene where Carmine and Tony Rosato (known as the Rosato Brothers) clashed with Frank Pentangeli during a botched assassination attempt. Although his screen time was limited to assisting the Rosato Brothers, that fleeting moment unknowingly set off a chain reaction that ultimately landed him on The Sopranos.

Richard Bright Portrayed Al Neri in The Godfather

In “The Weight,” an episode from The Sopranos’ fourth season, Richard Bright played Frank Crisci. This character was part of the Atwell Avenue Boys, a group of hitmen that Junior advised Tony to employ. A gathering involving Crisci, Silvio Dante, Christopher Moltisanti, and other members of the Atwell Avenue Boys took place, with the purpose of planning something. In this meeting, Crisci detailed how he executed a man named Thomas Neri. Unfortunately, Frank Crisci is not referenced again in any subsequent episodes of The Sopranos.

It’s quite possible that the name Thomas Neri was a tribute to Bright’s character in The Godfather trilogy. In these movies, Bright played Al Neri, who served as an enforcer, bodyguard, and assassin for Michael Corleone. However, his backstory is scarcely explored in the Godfather films. Tragically, Neri meets his demise in The Godfather Part III after betraying Michael, aligning himself with Michael’s rival, Don Altobello.

John Aprea Portrayed Young Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather Part II

Gene Conigliaro served as the U.S. attorney for New Jersey, making an appearance only once during season 1, episode 13 of The Sopranos, titled “I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano”. Following Junior’s arrest, Conigliaro proposed that Junior could have his charges reduced if he acknowledged Tony as the true leader of the DiMeo family. However, Junior refused to incriminate Tony or any other mafia associates; consequently, Conigliaro remained a minor character and did not appear in The Sopranos again.

In The Godfather Part II, John Aprea took on a more significant part, depicting the young Salvatore Tessio. Interestingly, prior to this role, Aprea had tried out for and met about playing Michael. One notable scene featuring Aprea’s character, Tessio, can be found in The Godfather Part II, where he and Vito Corleone engage in a business transaction involving stolen dresses. All of Aprea’s lines in this scene were spoken in Italian.

Frank Albanese Had Two Uncredited Roles in The Godfather and The Godfather Part III

In the era when Johnny Soprano, Tony’s father, headed the DiMeo family, Patrizio Blundetto served as a soldier. He was not only the brother of Junior but also the uncle of Christopher Moltisanti, fondly referred to as “Uncle Pat” by Tony and other characters in the series. Although he did not actively participate in mob activities throughout “The Sopranos”, several corpses were buried on Blundetto’s farm located in upstate New York. After the farm was sold, the bodies were relocated. The last time Uncle Pat made an appearance was during the final episode of “The Sopranos”, where he paid a visit to Junior.

Frank Albanese was predominantly known for playing gangsters throughout his acting career and was featured in various films, including The Sopranos, The Godfather trilogy, and Goodfellas. However, it’s worth noting that his roles in The Godfather series were minor and went unrecognized on-screen credits. In the original Godfather film, Albanese took on the character of the assassin who killed Philip Tattaglia, the head of the Tattaglia crime family. In The Godfather Part III, he assumed the role of the Grand Marshall leading the St. Gennaro Feast parade.

Vito Antuofermo Portrayed Anthony ‘The Ant’ Squigliaro in The Godfather Part III

Bobby Zanone had ties with the Aprile Group, a sub-group within the larger DiMeo clan. Despite the Aprile Group’s prosperity, tensions arose between its members and Tony, as well as the wider DiMeo family, leading to disputes that escalated into assassinations. However, Zanone was a minor figure who featured in just two episodes of “The Sopranos.” He ran a garbage business that served as a cover for the Aprile Group’s drug operations. In a scene that stands out, Zanone retaliated against an upset customer by returning their trash to their property after they complained about the service.

Vito Antuofermo, who previously worked as a professional boxer before transitioning into acting, played the character Anthony “The Ant” Squigliaro in ‘The Godfather Part III’, released in 1990. In this movie, The Ant served as enforcer and bodyguard for Joey Zasa. Despite being a formidable presence, The Ant was ultimately eliminated after being shot.

2025-04-30 19:26