Steven Van Zandt, who played Silvio Dante on The Sopranos, was a consultant to filmmaker David Chase for his latest project, a prequel to the legendary HBO series titled The Many Saints of Newark. The original series detailed the life of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster. For eight years the show revealed Tony's difficulties as he attempted to balance his family life with the leadership of a criminal organization. These strains lead him to seek the help of his therapist Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), who tries to guide him while remaining professionally unattached to her client.
Van Zandt played Silvio Dante throughout the series. Dante was consigliere to Tony and was around the business his entire life. Dante's key difference from the other men in Tony Soprano's inner circle was that he was able to control impulsive behavior and retain a relatively stable home life with his wife Gabriella (Maureen Van Zandt) and their daughter. Dante owned the Bada Bing Club, a topless dance hall where the men of the DeMeo crime family conducted important business.
The actor and musician shared in an interview with THR that he was asked by The Many Saints of Newark producer Chase to give his opinions on the prequel. Van Zandt says that Chase asked for his input on the film, with the producer showing him early looks at the film. While the actor says The Many Saints of Newark may be a completely different movie by now, Chase still valued his input.
“I saw several of the early cuts. He’s been tinkering now with it for a couple of years. So it may be a whole different movie by the time I see it again. He wanted me and Maureen to see it and give him some input. Silvio is in it, just 30 years earlier.”
Van Zandt does not appear in the film, but his iconic character does, portrayed at a younger age by actor John Magaro. The trailer confirms two things that we know about the character in his later years. He is very concerned about his appearance, which resulted in the thick hairpiece Dante wore as he grew older. In the trailer for the film, he was also very on top of finances and dedicated to his friend, which led him to the role of consigliere as he, Tony, and their friends rose up the ranks in organized crime.
Dedicated fans of The Sopranos are eagerly anticipating the release of The Many Saints of Newark. The film will not get its official release until November of this year after it was originally announced in 2019. The prequel will give dedicated fans the opportunity to see exactly how Tony came to be the domineering and anxiety-ridden boss he would later grow into in the HBO series. How Tony's past ties neatly into his future is in the hands of Chase, and as the man who led The Sopranos into legendary status for six seasons he has a big job ahead of him.
Source: THR
