A lost video saw James Gandolfini return to his iconic role as Tony Soprano, a new podcast has revealed.
In a bid to lure NBA legend LeBron James to the New York Knicks in 2010, Gandolfini and his Sopranos co-star Edie Falco appeared in a presentation to the player to convince him to join the team.
Producer Rocco Caruso recalled the idea on docuseries podcast Shattered: Hope, Heartbreak and the New York Knicks, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“They thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if we could somehow start the piece with The Sopranos?’ because it had just more or less ended,” Caruso said. “And I said, ‘I know Edie, … I could send her an email,’ and she said ‘Great. I’ll do it.'”
Falco then shared her own memories: “I do remember doing it, and what is absolutely amazing to me is I didn’t know who LeBron James was.
“We got those requests all the time back then and Jim Gandolfini, he did nothing. And somehow he agreed to this thing, which I was shocked by. I thought it was a prank when someone said Jim’s going to do it.”
Caruso then added that the scene was shot at Gandolfini’s flat in New York, and saw Tony and Carmella, Falco’s character, as friends of James helping him find a place to live – which would end up being Madison Square Garden.
“And there we were, dressed as our characters. And I was thinking, ‘This can’t possibly be happening,'” Falco said.
“There he was, dressed as Tony. … He must have been a bigger basketball fan than I realised.”
Earlier this month, a new tour opened inviting fans to visit the home of Tony Soprano.
An Evening at Tony’s will allow attendees to tour 14 Aspen Drive in New Jersey on May 29. You can grab a drink by the mob boss’ pool, meet and greet the cast of The Sopranos and roam around the house grounds.
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