How ‘Sopranos’ Star Michael Imperioli Became a Podcast Host and Instagram Spiritual Guide

Thirteen years after “The Sopranos” notoriously cut to black, Michael Imperioli decided enough time had passed: It was time to re-watch the trailblazing HBO mob series that made New Jersey, against all odds, look cool and made Imperioli, who starred as cocksure young wise guy Christopher Moltisanti, into a household name. The reason? Imperioli, alongside former co-star Steve Schirripa, was launching “Talking Sopranos,” a new podcast dedicated to meticulously recapping each episode of the series. Now, nine months and 44 episodes later, “Talking Sopranos” is a hit, racking up 9 million listeners to date and regularly appearing on Apple’s list of top 10 TV/film podcasts. The podcast’s popularity helped the duo recently score a book deal from HarperCollins book imprint William Morrow to write a behind-the-scenes oral history of “The Sopranos,” due out later this year. Imperioli, during a recent conversation with TheWrap, admitted the podcast’s success has been a pleasant surprise. “I wanted it to be (successful) but I wasn’t sure, you know? It’s a podcast, and I’ve never done it; Steve’s never done it,” he said. “It just kind of took off right away and it’s been growing ever since.” The New Yorker-turned-Santa Barbara local admitted there was...

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