Lin-Manuel Miranda has recalled his experience filming a small role on The Sopranos.
The Hamilton creator appeared as a hotel employee in the 15th episode of the sixth season, who crosses paths with Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and Paulie Gualtieri (Tony Sirico) during their road trip from New Jersey to Florida.
Speaking about his experience on the show in Judd Apatow’s new book Sicker In The Head: More Conversations About Life And Comedy, Miranda explained how he was intimidated by the small role.
“I went on lots of voiceover auditions and acting auditions, and the only thing I booked was The Sopranos, as a bellboy; I say, ‘I don’t know’ twice,” Miranda said.
“I’m so green you can see me look down at my mark. Watch it if you get a chance, because now people are like ‘Lin-Manuel’s cameo on The Sopranos!’ It wasn’t a cameo. I wasn’t even in the union yet.”
The actor detailed how Gandolfini helped calm his nerves while filming. “My one story about Gandolfini was that he stayed and did his sides even though it was the end of the night. He had no need to do that,” Miranda added. “He stayed and did the scene for the scared-shitless Puerto Rican kid in the bellhop outfit.”
Speaking about Gandolfini, Miranda also said the actor would always be out on set and never hid away in his trailer. “He was just out, and people would talk to him,” he added.
Last year, The Sopranos writer Todd Kessler said Gandolfini took him out for dinner after he was fired from the HBO series. More recently, actor Peter Riegert recalled that Gandolfini defended him when he was uncomfortable filming a nude scene.
“I didn’t know whether I was going to get fired or not, but Jimmy [Gandolfini] said to me, ‘Whatever you decide to do, I promise you I will have your back,’” Riegert said.
Gandolfini passed away aged 51 from a heart attack in 2013.
A prequel spin-off film, The Many Saints Of Newark, was released last year, starring his son Michael Gandolfini as a young Tony Soprano.
The post Lin-Manuel Miranda recalls how James Gandolfini helped him during ‘The Sopranos’ appearance appeared first on NME.
