The Sopranos: Michael Imperioli spills the secret behind the scene that took 12 takes to film

The Sopranos is one of those shows that changed TV history. The mobster-themed TV shows before The Sopranos did not care to go that deep. Tony Soprano and his world resonated with many (not just mobsters).

It was not the guns or the organized crime world, it was the emotional turmoils and moral ambiguity that gave the show a cult status. The Sopranos gave us a raw and darkly hilarious glimpse into the mind of a mob boss dealing with panic attacks. It was messy and brilliant.

The show remains close to our hearts even after years. And now, Michael Imperioli who played Christopher Moltisanti is spilling some behind the scenes tea. He shared in a recent interview that there was one scene that took 12 takes just to get it right.

Let's find out what happened.

The Sopranos: The scene that took 12 takes

The Sopranos was like a long-term hangout for a cast and crew who became family. After spending years together, it’s only natural that everyone got super comfortable around each other. And with that kind of comfort comes the kind of behind-the-scenes laughter that fans rarely get to see. Even some of the saddest or most emotional scenes ended up being full of laughs.

Livia Soprano’s funeral scene was supposed to be heavy. Janice tries to take the lead and asks everyone to share heartfelt memories about their complicated mother. Then comes Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli), who delivers a speech that leaves everyone awkward:

"They say, there's no two people on earth exactly the same. No two faces, no two sets of fingerprints. But do they know that for sure? Because they would have to get everybody together in one huge space, and obviously that's not possible even with computers."

Janice starts playing If I Loved You from Carousel after that. That was when a moment that was meant to be emotional ended up cracking up the whole cast. It was so funny and so absurd in the moment that they had to shoot that scene 12 times because no one could keep it together.

Livia Soprano: The grumpy old school matriarch

Livia Soprano was Tony's mother. She was a passive-aggressive woman who shaped Tony's life. She was a constant haunting shadow. She appeared to be a grumpy old school matriarch who complained about everything and anything.

But she was far from harmless. She was a manipulator who knew what emotional warfare was. She did not need a gun. She could guilt-trip and gaslight anyone anytime.

Livia was terrifyingly compelling because of how real she felt. She was the kind of mom who’d tell she never wanted kids then turn around and act heartbroken when she is not phoned every day. She could make Tony question his loyalty and sanity.

Livia Soprano from The Sopranos embodied bitterness, loneliness, and deep unprocessed trauma.

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