Real-life mob story that inspired Vito Spatafore's gay storyline in The Sopranos
It has been revealed that The Sopranos gay storyline with character Vito Spatafore was inspired by a real-life mob story, as show celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Vito's sexuality was hinted at in season five of the show, when the boyfriend of head mobster Tony Sopranos daughter caught Vito giving oral sex to a male security guard. Vito was Tony's highest earner and was revealed to be a closeted gay man.
The subject wasn't raised again until the following season when Vito, played by played by Joseph R. Gannascoli was seen dancing with another man inside a gay bar. Word of his life got back to Tony, forcing Vito to flee to New Hampshire, where he was given a glimpse into what life outside of the mob was like, away from his homophobic comrades.
READ MORE: Sopranos star Richard Romanus dies aged 80, his heartbroken son has revealed
Vito was a closeted gay man (HBO)He fell in love with a local chef and firefighter who he affectionately nicknames "Johnny Cakes" and just as the pair enjoy a whirlwind romance, Vito returns to New Jersey and his old lifestyle, which sees him ultimately murdered due to his sexuality. According to The US Sun, Gannascoli came up with the idea to explore Vito's sexuality.
Sopranos star left devastated as daughter, 25, dies months after giving birth
He'd been reading a true crime book which chronicled the life and crimes of the DeMeo crew, a Brooklyn-based gang connected to the Gambino crime family. One member, called Vito Arena, was dubbed The Gay Hitman after his death and had a younger lover named Joey Lee.
Jerry Capeci, who co-authored the book, told Uproxx in 2021: "I don’t know if I’d say he was openly gay, but everyone knew that he was gay, if that makes sense."
Gannascoli wanted to used elements of Arena's life story (FilmMagic)
Arena was dubbed The Gay Hitman (NYPD)Gannascoli said he was fascinated by Arena's story and wanted to bring elements of his life to Vito's character in the show. He said: "The reason why I wanted to do the role was it was going to be a challenge for me.
"Growing up in Brooklyn [...] being a mobster was easy because I knew their mannerisms, the way they talk, the way they eat - that's easy. But this was going to be something totally the opposite of who I am," he added. "This was going to be a challenge to prove I can act and carry my weight along with these other great actors."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
