Writer David Chase spoke about his friendship and feuding with the late The Sopranos actor James Gandolfini and reveals why he calls him his soulmate.
The passing of James Gandolfini left a huge dent in the acting industry as he was one of the most sought-after and respected stars in Hollywood. Best known for his role as Tony Soprano, he created a lasting legacy not only in the world of television but also an everlasting influence on the people he has worked with.
This is why The Sopranos creator David Chase only has great things to say about his former colleague, whom he treated like a brother. Despite the challenges in their friendship, which were mostly brought by the strain of work, they still had that intuitive connection.
David Chase on his real relationship with James Gandolfini
James Gandolfini was not the most chill person on set, according to his former cast mates and crew members, but this was mostly brought by the pressure to deliver an exceptional performance as his onscreen mafia boss role. Series creator David Chase attested to Gandolfini’s sudden violent outbursts on set when he could not memorize his lines.
His feud with the actor grew over the years from small inconveniences and disagreements at work. Even the writer admitted that he is easily triggered so he would sometimes clash with Gandolfini. They hardly talked to each other after The Sopranos wrapped up, but fortunately, they managed to mend their friendship when they reunited in 2012 for a new project.
Speaking with The Guardian, Chase described his relationship with Gandolfini through the years in the most heartfelt yet honest way.
We were soulmates. We were close in the beginning and the more it became a huge battleship, a corporation and a huge undertaking, the less time we actually saw each other, the less time we spent together discussing creative things.
They were in different rooms during the filming for The Sopranos, with Chase mostly working on the writing and post-production while Gandolfini was obviously on the set. Despite the circumstances, they found time to communicate, and sometimes, they had middlemen who would deliver their messages.
It’s evident how much the actor’s performance has influenced Chase’s works over the years, and it’s quite devastating that we won’t see them work together again in the future.
David Chase on his favorite moment with James Gandolfini
While Gandolfini did not directly craft the show’s storyline, Chase revealed that the actor’s brilliant work taught him a very important lesson. His improvisations and intense delivery of lines left a strong impact on the writer that helped him shape Tony Soprano.
Chase considers his time with Gandolfini in Not Fade Away as his favorite simply because they had been apart for so long, and they have changed as well. They were both older and different but remained similar in many ways. He said he felt that they were little kids just enjoying the work and not thinking about the business or publicity.
Gandolfini would have created another project with Chase in which he would have been a producer, but sadly, this won’t happen anymore.
