Speaking of rock and roller Steven Van Zandt (previous video) he is most noted for being Bruce’s right hand man and rightfully so. However, for me, his portrayal of Tony Soprano’s right hand man Silvio is/was even more impressive.
With no previous acting experience, Van Zandt took on the Sopranos’ “consigliore” role and nailed it. His demeanor, his mannerisms, and his interactions with the other Sopranos’ dudes were all spot on. That he went from being a free wheeling rock and roller to portraying a buttoned down mobster was one of the better acting transitions to be seen. Of all the great performances on the Sopranos, his was perhaps my favorite just because of his rock and roll background and the fact that he wasn’t an actor by trade.
One of the story lines in the Sopranos had Tony out of commission and hospitalized in a coma. In turn, Silvio had to step up into Tony’s place as The Boss. It was a transition that Sil was not exactly comfortable with (video below) despite his very loyal wife encouraging him to do so. Nothing quite like having a wife to support and encourage you right?
Little trivia for you – the actress who portrayed Silvio’s wife Gabriella was Steven’s real life wife Maureen. Check out their interactions here as Silvio prepares to go to “work.” I don’t know why, but the “behind-the-scenes” kind of guy line (2:05 mark) cracks me up the way Steven delivers it with a shrug.