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[bitbydeath]

Man, I wish he did. He would’ve been great in the role.

I think before James Spader and after Carell, they offered Jim – I want to say $4 million – to play him for the season, and HBO paid him $3 million not to do it. That’s a fact. Jim was going to do it because he hadn’t worked and it was a number of years removed from when the show ended.

Gervais then joked: “So they paid him that to keep the legacy of The Sopranos pure?”. Will Ferrell came on board as Carell’s replacement briefly until James Spader took over as the regional manager.

Gandolfini Was Paid To Not Do "The Office" - Dark Horizons

HBO reportedly forked out a whopping $3 million to “The Sopranos” star James Gandolfini to NOT take a role. A recent episode of the Talking Sopranos podcast, hosted by the late Gandolfini’s co-stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa, saw the pair talking with their guest Ricky Gervais who...

www.darkhorizons.com

 

[belmarduk]

I got HBO Max recently and have been binging the shows I've missed forever and Sopranos is one of the best. I didn't know Gandolfini died in 2013.. but I'm sure he would be great in anything he decided to be in.

 

[Fbh]

Must be nice having to choose between getting a lot of money for a job or getting slightly less (but still a lot) to not take the job

 

[Virt McPolygon]

 

[AJUMP23]

I want that deal.

 

[triplestation]

the best thing that ever happened in the office:

 

[Xenon]

His best work

 

[IntentionalPun]

HBO being kind of up their own ass there lol

Probably a bit of "keeping the character Pure" and also just were in the middle of really pushing the "Prestige TV" thing, so outside of the character, didn't want Jim talking on regular TV roles. At the time there was still some stigma surrounding being a "TV star" and HBO was big on their shows being what movie stars would star in.

 

[Javthusiast]

Getting millions not to work. That's a win in my lazy ass book.

 

[Max_Po]

same with Bret Hart ... little bitch was paid 9 million for 3 years to sit on his ass ...


** fixed **

 

[Torrent of Pork]

I mean, cool for Gandolfini, but definitely a bitch move on HBO's part.

 

[Ownage]

I mean, cool for Gandolfini, but definitely a bitch move on HBO's part.

Look at them now. I'd take this HBO any day over current version.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

His best work

I need to watch that again.

 

[xrnzaaas]

This is pretty shameful on HBO. It still wouldn't be okay if Sopranos were still running, but it's an even worse look on their part to do it after it's ended. And who knows how many castings they could've silently affected to keep Gandolfini out of other jobs.

 

[DKehoe]

This is pretty shameful on HBO. It still wouldn't be okay if Sopranos were still running, but it's an even worse look on their part to do it after it's ended. And who knows how many castings they could've silently affected to keep Gandolfini out of other jobs.

Before he died he was lined up to star in that The Night Of show, which he was also a producer on. I guess HBO maybe didn't want anyone else promoting something around the idea of "James Gandolfini returns to TV" until they figured out a project for him?

 

[Excess]

I got HBO Max recently and have been binging the shows I've missed forever and Sopranos is one of the best. I didn't know Gandolfini died in 2013.. but I'm sure he would be great in anything he decided to be in.

Sopranos was probably the first drama television series of its kind. It especially paved the way for anti-hero stories, such as Breaking Bad.

What I find interesting is that the people around him often said he was absolutely nothing like his characters, but he played Tony so fucking convincingly that it's obvious he grew up with these types of influences around him. That kind of character just doesn't come out of nowhere; it had to of been some deeply rooted side of him. I do believe admitted that the characters he creates are loosely influenced on his parents and how they grew up.

 

[Lone Wolf]

same with Bret Hart ... little bitch was paid 9 million for 3 years to shit on his ass ...

What’s the technique used to shit on ones own ass?

 

[Max_Po]

What’s the technique used to shit on ones own ass?

wrastling with shadows !!!

 

[bitbydeath]

Sopranos was probably the first drama television series of its kind.

It especially paved the way for anti-hero stories, such as Breaking Bad.

 

[AlteredForms]

James Gandolfini had a small role in the British movie In The Loop. Always wondered how they had to budget to get him.

 

[Corgi1985]

I'm glad he doesn't have one of the worst comedy series of all time sullying his resume

 

[Excess]