3. Steven Van Zandt Was The First Choice To Play Tony
Steven Van Zandt plays Silvio, one of the most memorable and genuinely brilliant characters in The Sopranos. However, the character of Silvio was only written after HBO balked at the idea of a first-time actor like Van Zandt taking on the lead role that Chase wanted him for - that of Tony Soprano. Van Zandt was the guitarist in Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band, and the combination of his Al Pacino look and sense of humour made such an impression on Chase that he felt he was perfect for the show. When HBO knocked him back, Chase determinedly constructed Silvio to fit perfectly to Van Zandt's look and style. What this meant, to the benefit of the show, was that fans got to see both Van Zandt AND Gandolfini absolutely nailing both outstanding characters on screen, rather than just one of them. HBO's rejection of Van Zandt ended up being a hug positive, mainly because of Chase's refusal to give up on his dream of casting the guitarist in his series.