James Gandolfini Constantly Threatened To Quit ‘The Sopranos' And Turned 'Destructive,' Per New Doc

In 2021, "Sopranos" creator David Chase frequently referenced the fractured relationship between him and James Gandolfini during a media tour for the prequel film "Many Saints of Newark."

"He was tired of me, for sure," Chase told The Guardian. "And I was kind of tired of him."

"We were done with each other [in 2007] when the series ended," Chase recalled on the "Talking Sopranos" podcast. 

Tensions between Gandolfini, who played Tony Soprano, and management were further explored in a new documentary titled "Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos," which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on June 13.

Chase acknowledged in the film that Gandolfini "had to go places that were destructive to him, and painful" to play Tony. 

Per a USA Today review of the doc, Gandolfini would purposefully deprive himself of sleep for days before shooting a "violent scene." He'd also walk around with rocks in his shoes to get angry and bruise his hands hitting the inside of his character's car.

"Gandolfini would often not show up to work if [he and his co-stars] stayed out late drinking together the night before," notes the review. 

Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Lorraine Bracco, James Gandolfini and David Chase (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)

Former HBO executive Chris Albrecht claims he tried convincing Gandolfini to go to rehab during the later seasons of the show – to which Gandolfini once reposed by shouting "Fire me" before "storming" away.

According to the doc, Gandolfini "threatened to quit the show nearly every other day" for different reasons. 

Gandolfini knew the show could not proceed without him. He used that fact to get what he wanted from show producers, as many stars before and after him have.

Edie Falco, who played Tony's wife Carmela Soprano, described Gandolfini in the doc as a "very good, kindhearted man" but admits the role "may have taken a toll on him."

Former chairman and CEO head Jeff Bewkes detailed in the 2021 book "Tinderbox" fearing that Gandolfini would die during the show’s run. "Occasionally he would go on a bender or a coke binge. We had to stop production," Bewkes said.

NEW YORK - MARCH 07:  Actor James Gandolfini attends the sixth season premiere of the HBO series "The Sopranos" at the Museum Of Modern Art, on March 7, 2006 in New York City.  (Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images)

Still, Gandolfini was able to complete all six seasons of the series. Gandolfini and Chase reconciled in 2012 for the film "Not Fade Away." 

"Things were fine [between us during the movie]," Chase recalled. "It was refreshed."

Gandolfini died of a heart attack in 2013.

The new documentary features audition tapes of cast members, interviews, and information about the show’s controversial ending. The doc will stream on Max at a date to be announced.

"The Sopranos" ended 17 years ago last week, concluding what I consider the greatest television show of all time  – largely because of the performance of James Gandolfini.