‘Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos’: 13 Biggest Takeaways from HBO’s Docuseries

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers from WISE GUY: David Chase and The Sopranos.]

The Sopranos celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2024, and in the spirit of that, HBO has released the two-part documentary Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos.

The must-see TV event features never-before-seen archival footage and commentary from the cast and creatives with a particular focus on creator David Chase. While tuning in is highly advisable, we’re breaking down some of the biggest reveals from the two-parter, so beware of spoilers ahead.

1. Christopher was almost Dean.

As star Michael Imperioli recalled his audition process, he noted in the documentary that Christopher’s name was originally Dean Moltisanti, a far cry from the moniker fans came to know over the seasons.

2. Last but not least… Carmela.

HBO

When it came to casting major roles, Carmela Soprano was the last one to be filled, and star Edie Falco wasn’t even sure she’d land the gig compared to other actresses who were trying out for the role. Ultimately, she was chosen, and the rest was history.

3. General Hospital‘s Don auditioned for Tony.

Maurice Benard has been playing gangster Sonny Corinthos on ABC‘s soap General Hospital for years, but according to archival audition footage, the actor threw his hat in the ring for The Sopranos‘ lead role. In a montage of Tony audition tapes, Benard was among the various actors who attempted to land the gig that eventually went to James Gandolfini.

4. Steven Van Zandt’s musical background cost him the lead.

Steven Van Zandt who is best known for playing Tony’s second, Silvio Dante, along with his gig as an E Street Band member alongside Bruce Springsteen, was among the original stars considered for the lead role, but HBO wouldn’t invest in someone who had never acted before. For that reason, Van Zandt lost out on the role of Tony, but Chase liked his audition so much he created the role of Silvio for him.

5. HBO almost lost faith in Tony’s college visit killing.

© HBO/ Courtesy: Everett Collection

As fans will recall in Season 1’s seminal episode, “College,” Tony brings his daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) on a road trip to visit potential colleges. While on the road, Tony encounters a man from his past who he knows turned on his crew and entered witness protection as a means of escaping potential harm. Determined to deliver the punishment he believes this man deserves, Tony takes it upon himself to kill the man, choking him to death. The killing was so brutal and alarming that HBO was concerned viewers would turn on the show, and that led Chase to add a sequence in which the victim almost shoots Tony under the cover of darkness. Another interesting fact about this episode is that Gandolfini actually cut his hands performing the killing scene.

6. Tony Sirico didn’t mess around with Paulie Walnuts’ hair.

According to the creatives in the documentary, Tony Sirico did his own hair for the show, coiffing it perfectly for his scenes as the comedic Paulie Walnuts. He also didn’t do makeup, but would often tan, using a reflective trifold like his character would onscreen. The only time Sirico reluctantly allowed his hair to be messed up onscreen was in the fan-favorite episode “Pine Barrens,” which was required to illustrate the unraveling journey Paulie and Christopher take in the memorable installment.

7. Michael Imperioli became a writer for a love of the show.

Imperioli discussed the inspiration behind his transition from just acting to acting and writing on the show, noting that he didn’t get into it for his own benefit. Instead, Imperioli was more interested in coming up with good storylines for other characters outside of Christopher as he noted his own love of the show and the world these characters inhabited.

8. Livia lived because of Nancy Marchand’s request.

Anthony Neste /©HBO/Courtesy Everett Collection

According to Chase, Livia Soprano (Nancy Marchand) was meant to die at the end of Season 1 with Tony suffocating his mother to death with a pillow in her nursing home. This happened in the show’s original script as well as in the feature script Chase had written before The Sopranos became a series. But it was Marchand’s request to keep working that led to Chase changing it. The performer was sick with lung cancer and asked Chase to allow her to keep working as long as she was able to. Ultimately, Marchand appeared for two full seasons and was killed off in Season 3 where visual effects were used to create her final posthumous scene with Gandolfini.

9. Lorraine Bracco yelled at David Chase over Melfi’s rape.

Lorraine Bracco remembered being really angry about Chase’s decision to have her character Dr. Melfi get raped in the Season 3 episode, “Employee of the Month,” recalling that she called the creator up to yell at him, asking how he could treat her character that way. Realizing Bracco hadn’t read the full script, she was told to finish reading and ultimately understood the reasoning behind the rape’s inclusion. In the episode, Melfi must decide if she’ll tell her patient Tony about the attack and task him with harming the assailant. In the end, she does not, and “Employee of the Month” remains a memorable installment from the series for that reason. Falco notes in the documentary that the attack sequence is even more impactful without a trigger warning.

10. James Gandolfini was generous (or careless) with his money.

After a contract negotiation left James Gandolfini earning $1 million per episode, he gifted fellow castmates $30,000 checks out of his own pocket. Falco noted that she was not among the cast members to receive a check, but noted her onscreen husband was very generous and believed this happened. Meanwhile, Drea de Matteo confirmed this story in the documentary. When it came to money, Gandolfini was willing to take hits, as it was revealed he’d get docked up to $100,000 a day if he was a no-show on set, something that happened regularly, according to the team.

11. Adriana had two endings, and the actress didn’t know which was real.

HBO

According to de Matteo, two different versions of Adriana’s ending were filmed as Chase wouldn’t tell her what was going to happen to her character. One version saw Adriana escape Silvio and the other, which made the final cut, saw Adriana crawling away from the mobster as he shot her offscreen. The decision to not show Adriana’s killing onscreen was personal for Chase who couldn’t deal with the idea of seeing it play out. Two versions were filmed because of confidentiality problems with spoilers and leaks.

12. Even James Gandolfini didn’t know how the show ended.

In a comment from Bracco, she revealed that Gandolfini watched the finale episode with her, and even he wasn’t aware the series ended the way it did. As fans will remember, Tony sits down in a diner with his wife and son as their Meadow parks her car to meet them. But some shady characters enter the space before she does, leading many to wonder if the mob boss would get blown away or not, with an abrupt cut to the credits. Ultimately it’s up to each individual viewer, but even Gandolfini was seemingly shocked by Tony’s ending.

13. Chase’s had an emotional farewell for Gandolfini.

Related

'The Sopranos': What It's Like to Visit Tony's Home & Mingle With the Show's Stars

When James Gandolfini died in 2013 at the age of 51 from a heart attack, Chase delivered a eulogy at the funeral, which had been private, until now. While transcripts of Chase’s eulogy had been published at the time, this documentary features actual footage of his emotional tribute to Gandolfini who he refers to as a “brother” throughout. It’s a moment that will leave no dry eyes among viewers at home.

Watch the full two-part documentary for even more interesting tidbits from behind the scenes, and catch The Sopranos anytime on Max.

Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos, streaming now, Max