Tony soprano gay

They were f**king stunned.

“And right at that time, I used to go to this restaurant every Thursday. He said: "The reason why I wanted to do the role was it was going to be a challenge for me.

"Growing up in Brooklyn [...] being a mobster was easy because I knew their mannerisms, the way they talk, the way they eat - that's easy.

One such case came late in the series, when Tony's (James Gandolfini) captain, Vito Spatafore (Joseph R. Gannascoli), rose from recurring character to one of the series' main points of focus in Season 6, choosing to flee mob life after being outed as gay.

Vito's arc in Season 6 becomes very important on a plot level, as it provides more fuel for the growing conflict between Tony's New Jersey crew and the New York-based Lupertazzi family, particularly with high-ranking captain Phil Leotardo (Frank Vincent).

But when faced with the reality of that decision, he opts to return to his old life, ultimately leading to his doom. She was working behind the bar.

“That moment was groundbreaking [for TV] and for me it was pivotal, it changed my life for the better and opened up so many doors.

“If it didn’t happen who knows where I’d be?

Let's talk about it.

Vito's New Hampshire Hideout

Near the beginning of Season 6, Vito is discovered partying by a couple of mob associates when they come to collect from a gay bar. You’re going to be blowing a guy.’

“I said, ‘What?

The pull of the mafia lifestyle, with its power and respect and material gains, is too great for Vito to resist forever.

For a while, Tony considers letting Vito back into the fold, nearly coming around to a "live and let live" philosophy in his therapy sessions. In addition to his pop culture writing, Conor is a playwright whose work has been produced throughout Chicago as well as in Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, New York City, and the World Wide Web.  He's also dipped his toe into podcasting, creating and producing 8 episodes of a series called First Time for Everyone, which explored the lifelong process of creative evolution through the lens of writers' earliest works.

“I don’t know if I’d say he was openly gay, but everyone knew that he was gay, if that makes sense,” Capeci said of Arena.

Gannascoli said he was fascinated by Vito Arena’s story and thought elements from his personal life could add an intriguing dimension to his own Vito Spatafore.

He recounted: “The reason why I wanted to do the role was it was going to be a challenge for me.

“Growing up in Brooklyn […] being a mobster was easy because I knew their mannerisms, the way they talk, the way they eat – that’s easy.

“And I remember one day he comes to me and goes, ‘How come everyone is coming to your restaurant and you’ve never asked me?’

“I was like, ‘Jimmy, you’re so busy. “And the first thing I’d ask is ‘what’s going on in the next episode? That was during season four, and at the beginning of season five they asked me for the name of the book again and I gave it to them.

“So that’s how I broached it with the writers and I guess they took it to David Chase.

“And I understand that he later gave an interview and said that’s the only suggestion he’s ever taken from an actor, which I’m very grateful for.

“That [decision] changed my life.”

Gannascoli wouldn’t be made aware of the Vito pivot for several months.

To cover his losses, Gannascoli was forced to sell a stake in a restaurant he co-owned and fled New York for LA.

There he began focusing his energy more on acting than cooking.

The idea to explore Vito’s sexuality had actually been Gannascoli’s own, he told The U.S. Sun in an exclusive interview this week.

His choices reverberate even after his death, as his son Vito Jr. (Frank Borrelli) rebels in the face of constant bullying.

In the end, The Sopranos plays into the classic "bury your gays" trope — a hangover from the Hays Code era in which gay characters were only allowed to be depicted if they were ultimately punished (usually in death).

According to The US Sun, Gannascoli came up with the idea to explore Vito's sexuality.

He'd been reading a true crime book which chronicled the life and crimes of the DeMeo crew, a Brooklyn-based gang connected to the Gambino crime family.

Jerry Capeci, who co-authored the book, told Uproxx in 2021 that Arena and Lee often posed as father and son and would rob doctor’s offices together.

Are you f**king kidding me?’ And immediately, I thought holy f**k they’re actually doing it.

“My life would’ve probably been totally different. But this was going to be something totally the opposite of who I am.

“This was going to be a challenge to prove I can act and carry my weight along with these other great actors.”

A ‘TRICKY’ PITCH

Going about pitching the idea to the show’s writers was difficult, Gannascoli said.

He didn’t want to go above his station and suggest it directly to the creator and chief writer David Chase and he didn’t want to mention it in front of any of his cast mates for fear of coming off as a “douchebag” by angling for a bigger part.

“It was tricky […] I had to find the right moment,” he added.