So unfortunately the majority of actors are not the same in real life as the characters they play on screen. They don't talk the same , act the same, or even dress the same.

So if I was to pick one guy that I would want to hang out with that was on the show, I'd have to say Tony Sirico would have been my pick. He wasn't acting when he played Paulie Walnuts as he was a real mobster and his mannerisms and the way he talked on the show was the same as he was in real life. He even dressed the same way in real life as he did on the show. Being around him would feel real when it came to getting a first hand experience of what Paulie Walnuts was like in real life.

James Gandolfini was not even close to Tony Soprano in real life when it came to mannerisms, style of dress or the way he spoke along with his lifestyle and morals being completely different. So as much as I liked his character in the Sopranos, in real life I feel I'd be a little let down hanging around him. It just wouldn't feel right to me. For example I'd be around him for a few minutes and after speaking with him and figuring out what his interests were in real life along with how much a "family man" he was, I'd be thrown off a little bit and think he was boring. He wouldn't be anything like the Tony Soprano character and to me that would just ruin the fun.

Tony Sirico was an actual street guy. I believe he was with Jerry Green Eyes for awhile and Sonny also used him. They knew him as Junior

Sirico was indicted for extortion, coercion, and felony weapons possession, convicted, and sentenced to four years in prison, of which he served 20 months at Sing Sing.

Exactly. He would be real to hang out with.

James on the other hand was so far removed from the Tony Soprano character in real life that it would actually annoy me if I was around him too long.

Was the actor that played Larry Barese affiliated in some way? I’d heard from somewhere that he did tangential things.

Michael Squicciarini
Squicciarini was only in a few episodes of The Sopranos, playing the role of Frank Cippolina, or “Big Frank.” In real life, he did five years hard time for aggravated assault and was associated with the DeCavalcante crew, the New Jersey-based crime family said to be the inspiration for The Sopranos.

Squicciarini passed away in 2001 at age 44, and in 2002, was implicated in a murder. According to The Guardian, he helped lure a rival drug dealer to a Brooklyn club so that DeCavalcante capo Joseph Conigliaro could shoot him.

Witnesses fingered Squicciarini after spotting him on the show, and prosecutors posthumously tied him to the crime as part of Conigliaro’s crew. They weren’t sure how deeply he was involved, but believed he also moved and disposed of the body.

Yes and also the guy that played Albert Barese was affiliated at one time.

Wow I wasn't aware of him passing away. RIP big man! He was a good guy.

Totally cool to know, thanks Rush.