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Michael Imperioli thinks that "a lot" of The Sopranos characters would support Donald Trump
"The fact is that these characters are all immigrants, but I think a lot of them would probably be Trump supporters, oddly enough," he said in a recent interview
Imperioli's assertion about The Sopranos characters' political beliefs came as he contemplated what the show would be like if set in 2026
When it comes toThe Sopranoscharacters, starMichael Imperiolithinks more than a few would support PresidentDonald Trump.
While discussing what the beloved HBO show would look like if it were set in the current-day United States, Imperioli — who won an Emmy for his turn as Christopher Moltisanti in the series — emphasized that it was about more than just mobsters, but also a critique of modern-day capitalism.
The actor, 59, toldThe Independentthat despite being "immigrants," many of the fictional characters would "probably" support the 47th President of the United States.
"The show is about the American dream, especially through the eyes of immigrants," Imperioli told the outlet in an interview with costarSteve Schirripafor a story published Sunday, Feb. 15.
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"I think that would be one of the big themes if it was made today: the current climate in the U.S. and what they're doing to immigrants," the Emmy winner continued. "The fact is that these characters are all immigrants, but I think a lot of them would probably be Trump supporters, oddly enough."
The actor emphasized that the characters' hypothetical support of Trump, whose administration has beencarrying out an aggressive immigration crackdown, would be a bit ironic, as nearly all the main characters — from Tony Soprano, to Jennifer Melfi and Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri — are of Italian descent.
"So how do they reconcile those things?" Imperioli questioned, adding, "When Italians came over – and people forget this, or they don't want to see it – a lot of them were undocumented."
The Sopranos, which ran for six seasons from 1999 to 2007, followed mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) as he attempted to be a family man and keep his criminal life tucked away. The series also starredEdie Falco,Drea de Matteo, Steve Van Zandt, Vincent Pastore and more.
In theIndependentinterview, Imperioli and Schirripa — who played Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri onThe Sopranos— also discussedtheir rewatch podcast,Talking Sopranos.
Recalling the early days of the podcast hosting duo, Schirripa, 68, told the outlet, "People thought we didn't like each other."
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"The first five episodes were a little rough, but then I think we did okay," added the actor. "You know, it was a tall order."
The pair also explained why they refrain from any bad-mouthing on the podcast, with Imperioli flat-out saying, "I never say anything bad about anybody."
"I mean, I could, but I won't," he added. "I'm sure people say bad things about me – I wouldn't be surprised – but we tried to keep it above the belt. No low blows. I find it not classy."
In a 2025 chat with PEOPLE, also alongside Schirripa, Imperioli revealed who thefunniestSopranoscast member was when the cameras weren't rolling.
Tony Sirico, who portrayed Paulie Walnuts, inspired the most laughter, Imperioli said, adding that the late actor "was a very specific, eccentric, human being, a great guy that we loved and was a good friend."
"He knew if he was being funny or not — he broke the mold," Imperioli added of Sirico. "He was one of a kind."
Elsewhere in the conversation, Schirripa said that the close-knit nature of theSopranoscast made it feel like a family, telling PEOPLE that he and his castmates "worked very hard, but you're doing scenes with 12, 13, 15 guys together. So there's a lot of joking around and playing and we've been together for so many years."
"You're with these people, they become, honestly, like a family. Marriages, babies, divorces, so you, you're all together," theBlue Bloodsactor added. "Though there was some heavy times, there also was a lot of fun times.The Sopranoshappens to be a very, very funny show."
Read the original article onPeople
