This year marks the 25th anniversary of HBO’s hit TV show The Sopranos, which aired its first episode on January 10, 1999.
To celebrate the occasion, many of the original stars and friends of the show hit the red carpet for an exclusive event in New York City.
One of the VIP guests in attendance was none other than Michael Gandolfini, the son of the late great James Gandolfini, who played the iconic main character of New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano in the show. Other actors at the bash included Lorraine Bracco (Jennifer Melfi), Aida Turturro (Janice Soprano) Annabella Sciorra (Gloria Trillo) and Steven Van Zandt (Silvio Dante), per British media.
Here’s what we know about Michael Gandolfini:
Michael Gandolfini’s Hollywood roots
Michael Gandolfini, 24, is the son of James Gandolfini and his first wife, Marcy Wudarski. His parents reportedly split up in 2002.
According to Closer Weekly, Michael has a half-sister called Liliana, whom his father welcomed in 2012 with his second wife Deborah Lin.
He is an actor
The US-born talent appears to be continuing his dad’s legacy by pursuing a career in film as well. He’s starred in films including Ocean’s Eight, The Boy, the Dog and the Clown and Cat Person, but he garnered more attention when he played the role of a teenage Tony Soprano for The Many Saints of Newark in 2021.
He’s dating an Australian actress
Gandolfini seemingly confirmed his relationship with Australian actress Mia Healey in July last year, when the two were seen packing on the PDA in New York, per British media.
His stepmother is former actress Deborah Lin
James Gandolfini was married to former actress Deborah Lin at the time of his death. They tied the knot in 2008, and were together until his death in 2013.
When Michael’s stepmum watched him playing a younger version of his dad in the 2021 prequel film The Many Saints of Newark, she told Page Six, “It was almost surreal to see Michael in the trailer. I know it took a lot of courage for him to take this role. It was very emotional.”
He finds his dad’s work inspiring
According to People, Michael was only 14 years old when his father died while the family were travelling in Italy.
He told Esquire how impactful his father’s acting on The Sopranos was to him. “He starts singing, and then he starts crying, and then he gets mad at himself because he’s crying, and then he laughs at himself,” he said.
“He literally spans like, four emotions in the matter of forty seconds! And they’re all so grounded and I remember being blown away by him.”
His late father also seemed to always put his son first. In a 2004 interview on Inside the Actor’s Studio, James said, “I read a lot. And my son – playing with my son [4-year-old Michael] really takes me right out of all this, because it’s all about him.”