The Sopranos' controversial final episode?
From 1999 to 2007, The Sopranos entertained HBO audiences with its stories of foul-mouth gangsters and their inner circle of friends. The show is fundamentally a mafia-centric series, but its various themes offer a complex portrait of modern-day family dynamics, whether it's Tony's domestic life or his professional experiences as the leader of the DiMeo crime family. Due to the sprawling narrative, various characters were introduced during The Sopranos' six seasons, many of whom continue to resonate with viewers who experience the series for the first time or those who have returned for a complete re-watch.
The Sopranos' main cast and characters are a major selling point for the Buddhism-inspired show. There are tough-talking male mobsters, along with independent-minded women with big personalities. Incidentally, The Sopranos' inherent violence forces the audience to grapple with their interpretations of deeply flawed yet relatable characters. Here's what the collective cast have done since the final episode, "Made in America."
James Gandolfini
Lorraine Bracco
Actress Lorraine Bracco remained busy after playing BoJack Horseman, Mayor Margaret Dutton in Blue Bloods, and Angela Rizzoli in Rizzoli & Isles.
Edie Falco
After co-starring as Carmela Soprano in The Sopranos, Edie Falco maintained industry momentum by portraying Celeste Cunningham in several episodes of 30 Rock, and then by landing a starring role in Nurse Jackie. She earned four Golden Globe nominations for her performance and won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Since then, Falco has portrayed Sylvia in Louis C.K.'s Horace and Pete, Leslie Abramson in Law & Order True Crime, and Hillary Clinton in American Crime Story. She also headlined the TV series Tommy as Abigail "Tommy" Thomas. Falco will portray General Ardmore in future Avatar movies, and has appeared in the films The Comedian, Megan Leavey, and Viper Club.
Michael Imperioli
Michael Imperioli has maintained a steady acting career after portraying The Sopranos' Angelo Dundee in One Night in Miami.
Dominic Chianese
Dominic Chianese, who played Junior Soprano on The Sopranos, has added significant roles to his resume since the HBO series ended. Fans of the FX hit Damages may him as Stuart Zedeck, while Boardwalk Empire enthusiasts may recognize him as Leander Cephas Whitlock. In the late 2010s, Chianese also appeared as Judge Michael Marx in The Good Wife and Enzo Napolitano in The Village. He's set to portray the title character in Umberto D., a remake of Vittorio De Sica's 1952 Italian Neorealism classic.
Vincent Pastore
Known for portraying Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero in The Sopranos, Vincent Pastore left the show after the season 2 episode "Fun House." Since then, he's been one of the industry's most prolific character actors of the 21st century. In the 2000s, Pastore had a short run as Lenny Pescatore on The Practice and portrayed Zach in the General Hospital's Maximus Giambetti for six episodes in 2008. Pastore voiced Big Pussy in two episodes of Animals., and also portrayed Fat Larry in the Hulu show Wu-Tang: An American Saga.
Steven Van Zandt
After portraying The Sopranos' Silvio Dante, Steven Van Zandt starred in the very first Netflix Original, Martin Scorsese's 2019 crime movie The Irishman.
Robert Iler
In The Sopranos, A.J. feels pressure to live up to his father Tony's standards. In real life, actor Robert Iler similarly struggled with expectations and only appeared in one episode of Law & Order season 19 after the HBO show ended. According to a 2020 report (via The Hollywood Reporter), Iler has been sober since 2013.
Jamie-Lynn Sigler
After portraying Meadow on The Sopranos, Jamie-Lynn Sigler appeared as herself in 13 episodes of Entourage. She also had a brief run as Natalie in the ABC show Ugly Betty and later played Emily in Guys with Kids. In the late 2010s, Sigler voiced Rebeca in Elena of Avalor.
Tony Sirico
In the years after The Sopranos' final episode, Tony Sirico - aka Family Guy, along with Enzo Perotti in American Dad!
Aida Turturro
Aida Turturro, who played Janice Soprano in The Sopranos, appeared in several high-profile shows in the late 2000s and 2010s. First, she appeared as Sheryl Hawkins in ER and Bobbi Catalano in Medium. Turturro then showed up in one episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm season 8 as Gabby and reunited with The Sopranos' Falco for Nurse Jackie season 4. During the latter half of the 2010s, she landed recurring roles as Judge Felicia Catano in The Blacklist, and then appeared as Peti in the 2021 miniseries Kaljave gume.
Steve Schirripa
After portraying Robert "Bobby Bacala" Baccalieri in The Sopranos, Steve Schirripa landed two major roles in mainstream TV shows. He appeared in over 100 episodes of The Secret Life of the American Teenager as Leo Boykewich and later portrayed Anthony Abetemarco in Blue Bloods. Schirripa's other roles include Vito in Jersey Boys and Nick in Wonder Wheel.
Drea De Matteo
Known as The Sopranos' Adriana La Cerva, Drea de Matteo also played a prominent role in Desperate Housewives as Angie Bolen during the late 2000s. She then had a larger character arc as Wendy Case on Adriana La Cerva, De Matteo kept busy during the late 2010s and early 2020s, as she portrayed Barbara Nelson in A Million Little Things and Maya in Paradise City.
Other Notable The Sopranos Actors
Aside from The Sopranos' main cast , various other performers have gone on to appear in popular TV shows and movies. For example, Steve Buscemi appeared in 14 episodes of the HBO series as Tony Blundetto after previously starring in classics like Fargo and Reservoir Dogs. He eventually returned to HBO to headline The Irishman, and Olympia Gigante in Godfather of Harlem.