The Sopranos ended with one of the most infamous scenes in television history, but James Gandolfini's fate would have been in someone else's hands if Alec Baldwin had his way.
Speaking with the show's Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa on their wildly popular "Talking Sopranos" podcast [via Deadline], Baldwin said that he campaigned to have himself cast as Tony Soprano's killer.
"I called up whoever it was…and said…there's only one man in this business who should come in, whack [James Gandolfini's Tony], and ride off with [Edie Falco's Carmela], and I am that man," the actor said. "They were like, 'Sure, great. We'll add your name to the list of all the Irish actors who think that they should be on The Sopranos."
Baldwin then said that he believed he was never cast on the show due to an awkward encounter with creator David Chase. On a hot Los Angeles day, his suit was drenched in sweat and he was drying it off with a hand dryer in a hotel bathroom.
"I'm holding my shirt up to the mechanical dryer, and the door opens, and….this is my introduction to David Chase," Baldwin recalled. "He goes, 'Alec Baldwin? What the fuck are you doing, drying your shirt in the bathroom at the Four Seasons restaurant?' And I think based on that alone, I was never cast on your show.'"
Listen to the full episode of "Talking Sopranos" below.
Speaking with the show's Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa on their wildly popular "Talking Sopranos" podcast [via Deadline], Baldwin said that he campaigned to have himself cast as Tony Soprano's killer.
"I called up whoever it was…and said…there's only one man in this business who should come in, whack [James Gandolfini's Tony], and ride off with [Edie Falco's Carmela], and I am that man," the actor said. "They were like, 'Sure, great. We'll add your name to the list of all the Irish actors who think that they should be on The Sopranos."
Baldwin then said that he believed he was never cast on the show due to an awkward encounter with creator David Chase. On a hot Los Angeles day, his suit was drenched in sweat and he was drying it off with a hand dryer in a hotel bathroom.
"I'm holding my shirt up to the mechanical dryer, and the door opens, and….this is my introduction to David Chase," Baldwin recalled. "He goes, 'Alec Baldwin? What the fuck are you doing, drying your shirt in the bathroom at the Four Seasons restaurant?' And I think based on that alone, I was never cast on your show.'"
Listen to the full episode of "Talking Sopranos" below.
