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Three years later he landed a small part in the movie Money For Nothing, starring John Cusack, Benito Del Toro, and his future Sopranos co-star James Gandolfini, which kick-started his acting career.
In 1999, Gannascoli was cast in a small role in the first season of The Sopranos, appearing as a customer named Gino in a bakery run by Tony Soprano’s protégé, Christopher Moltisanti.
He was brought back for the second season as Vita Spatafore, a member of the Soprano crime scene family where he remained a largely peripheral character until season six when his sexuality became a central plotline.
Gannascoli said he isn’t sure why he was recast in another role, but joked that he liked to think David Chase “recognized talent when he saw it.”
“Or maybe [Casting Director] Georgianne Walken had a soft spot for me and liked what I did, but ultimately I guess it was David Chase’s decision and so I guess they needed a portly fellow in the crew,” Gannascoli laughed.
Despite the abundance of on-screen feuds, behind the scenes, Gannascoli said the cast of The Sopranos felt like a tight-knit family where everyone looked out for one another.
He said everyone knew how special the show was and relished each moment existing within its rich universe.
He was a regular, blue-collar guy from Jersey who possessed a special kind of talent.
“He’s really what made the show […] there were so many talented actors but Jimmy was the quarterback.
“We were all really thankful for him.
To cover his losses, Gannascoli was forced to sell a stake in a restaurant he co-owned and fled New York for LA.
There he began focusing his energy more on acting than cooking. And obviously, it’s not what I had in mind, but as long as we do it and don’t just forget about it […] then I’m happy to.
“[The writers] said, ‘Listen, that’s all you’re going to see this year is that scene.
“My life would’ve probably been totally different. Vito's actions, combined with the other gangsters' reactions, make it clear the series wasn't really aiming for a win for gay representation on TV.
Inescapable Cycles in 'The Sopranos'
(The following contains spoilers for The Sopranos Season 6)
In the end, Vito finds that he can't ever truly settle down and live a quiet life, even with a loving and accepting partner like Jim.
While the relationship itself is well-handled, it doesn't seem like the series was really interested in making any sort of progressive statement with its treatment of Vito, as his exit also opens the door for the characters to engage in some of the most vicious homophobia the show ever produced.
'The Sopranos' Hits Way Differently in 2025, and Not for the Reasons You Think
I expected the misogyny and racism from the characters, but one aspect of watching 'The Sopranos' in 2025 hits very differently.
This isn't to say that it's inherently wrong to include homophobia in storytelling, particularly in a very tradition-based setting like the world of the mafia.
He’s really what made the show […] there were so many talented actors but Jimmy was the quarterback.
Joseph GannascoliMoved by Gandolfini’s gesture, Gannascoli assured him he was fine to film the scene and that the shocking plot development had actually been partly of his own making.
“I told him that, you know, I kind of asked for it.
Am I getting killed?
But otherwise, he said his performance was well-received by friends and Sopranos fans alike.
Gannascoli watched the ninth episode of season five with a group of 20 of his friends and didn’t tell any of them what they were about to see. But this was going to be something totally the opposite of who I am.
“This was going to be a challenge to prove I can act and carry my weight along with these other great actors.”
A ‘TRICKY’ PITCH
Going about pitching the idea to the show’s writers was difficult, Gannascoli said.
He didn’t want to go above his station and suggest it directly to the creator and chief writer David Chase and he didn’t want to mention it in front of any of his cast mates for fear of coming off as a “douchebag” by angling for a bigger part.
“It was tricky […] I had to find the right moment,” he added.
That was during season four, and at the beginning of season five they asked me for the name of the book again and I gave it to them.
“So that’s how I broached it with the writers and I guess they took it to David Chase.
“And I understand that he later gave an interview and said that’s the only suggestion he’s ever taken from an actor, which I’m very grateful for.
“That [decision] changed my life.”
Gannascoli wouldn’t be made aware of the Vito pivot for several months.
“And I remember one day he comes to me and goes, ‘How come everyone is coming to your restaurant and you’ve never asked me?’
“I was like, ‘Jimmy, you’re so busy. One such case came late in the series, when Tony's (James Gandolfini) captain, Vito Spatafore (Joseph R.
Gannascoli), rose from recurring character to one of the series' main points of focus in Season 6, choosing to flee mob life after being outed as gay.
Vito's arc in Season 6 becomes very important on a plot level, as it provides more fuel for the growing conflict between Tony's New Jersey crew and the New York-based Lupertazzi family, particularly with high-ranking captain Phil Leotardo (Frank Vincent).
It was a busy restaurant, and there were a lot of girls there.
“And everybody stood up as I walked in and started clapping their hands.
Are you f**king kidding me?’ And immediately, I thought holy f**k they’re actually doing it. But next year be ready because it’s going to be a big year for you, so that’s what I did.”
After the episode aired, Gannascoli remembers being shunned and shot dirty looks by real wise guys in his neighborhood in Brooklyn.
He also claims to have been confronted by the relative of a known mobster while out clubbing one night, resulting in a physical skirmish that had to be broken up by bystanders.
During filming for season 4, Gannascoli had been reading the true crime book, Murder Machine, which chronicles the life and crimes of the DeMeo crew, a Brooklyn-based gang connected to the Gambino crime family.
One member of the DeMeo Crew was a man by the name of Vito Arena, a prolific car thief, robber, and murderer who was involved in scores of killings during the 1970s and 1980s.
You’re going to be blowing a guy.’
“I said, ‘What?
After he died in 1991 during a failed armed robbery, Arena became known as “The Gay Hitman” after it was revealed he had a younger lover named Joey Lee who was several years his junior. Do I have any good scenes?
“And this one time I asked him am I getting killed, and he told me ‘No, you’re okay.’ And I asked him if I had some good stuff and he said ‘Yeah, you have some good stuff.’
“So I thought, great I’ll wait until we get the script to do the [table] read-through.
“By the time he arrived, there was a line around the block.
The idea to explore Vito’s sexuality had actually been Gannascoli’s own, he told The U.S. Sun in an exclusive interview this week.