Why didn't James Gandolfini have a bigger career outside of the Sopranos?

[Seahawks Fan]

This is something I've wondered about from time to time. James Gandolfini did such a superb job as Tony Soprano. For nearly 100 episodes he delivered performance after performance of quite possibly the most complex and riveting character in American TV history. He could not have done it any better, and I don't think anyone could do it quite like him.

But outside of the Sopranos, the rest of Gandolfini's career was a dud. He was never a leading man in anything of note. Before the Sopranos he seemed to only ever be cast as a background figure with very little personality. He was essentially a career d-lister. After the Sopranos they tried to step him up on the big screen but it never quite made an impression. He was never again able to recreate the magic of Tony. Why?

 

[Bacco]

Because he died
Also he was a 100% perfect Tony, but i have hard time imagine him as anything else

 

[HeffDoesWant]

Because he died
Also he was a 100% perfect Tony, but i have hard time imagine him as anything else

Rookie mistake

 

[moreorless87]

Not a typical leading man looks wise and I think probably too closely associated with crime roles at the point Hollywood was not making as many crime dramas.

 

[HeffDoesWant]

Because he will always be Tony.

1 huge long running show with little before it gets you type cast.

 

[LEWIS540]

1) Because he looked like James Gandolfini.
2) Because he looked like Tony Soprano.

 

[Bacco]

Not a typical leading man looks wise and I think probably too closely associated with crime roles at the point Hollywood was not making as many crime dramas.

Yeah plus you would need another italian-american mob drama that would have to go against Soprano's popularity, plus of course have Gandolfini as lead of both would have been awkward and make the new thing struggle to find it's own identity

Gomorra was only remotely example i can think, but was about total different crime world (camorra in Italy/europe), total different mood, and guess american audience loved it also because felt "exotic" to them

 

[Bacco]

1) Because he looked like James Gandolfini.
2) Because he looked like Tony Soprano.

expected
3) Because he never had the makings of a varsity athlete.

 

[moreorless87]

Yeah plus you would need another italian-american mob drama that would have to go against Soprano's popularity, plus of course have Gandolfini as lead of both would have been awkward and make the new thing struggle to find it's own identity

Gomorra was only remotely example i can think, but was about total different crime world (camorra in Italy/europe), total different mood, and guess american audience loved it also because felt "exotic" to them

Compared to the 70's to the 90's were we had a ton of mafia drama films made, I'd imagine in that era he would have had plenty of good roles.

 

[LEWIS540]

Yeah plus you would need another italian-american mob drama that would have to go against Soprano's popularity, plus of course have Gandolfini as lead of both would have been awkward and make the new thing struggle to find it's own identity

Gomorra was only remotely example i can think, but was about total different crime world (camorra in Italy/europe), total different mood, and guess american audience loved it also because felt "exotic" to them

I think he was actually considered for the lead in Boardwalk Empire, and in fact looked a lot more similar to the real life Nucky Thompson/Johnson, but the producers thought it too obvious.

 

[WarHawk]

Other than john candy, jack black, belushi, and Chris farley; who were all comedians; I can't think of any leading Hollywood actors that looked like gandolfini. Pretty much sums it up.

 

[Thepaintbucket]

Because when you are typecasted it becomes incredibly difficult to get any other role besides the ones you are known for and even if those roles were available, one would imagine an actor would be sick of playing the same character over and over.

Also being a TV star versus a movie star are two completely different industries. Being a huge hit on TV show doesn't necessarily mean people are going to welcome you with open arms for a movie

 

[EL CORINTHIAN]

The answer is because he died. He was extremely talented and was getting work outside of the Sopranos.