The Sopranos stars Lorraine Bracco and Michael Imperioli reunite on stage at 2023 Emmys

The Emmys aren’t just about the best TV shows of last year; they’re also a celebration of the format and its glorious history.

While Michael Imperioli is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his work on season 2 of The White Lotus, the awards show wanted to remind viewers that he also had a pivotal role on one of the greatest shows of all time. 

Imperioli played gangster and wannabe screenwriter Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos, and the Emmys decided to honor that history by pairing him on stage with Lorraine Bracco, who played therapist Jennifer Melfi on the same iconic HBO series.

“2024 marks the 25th anniversary of this show that Lorraine and I were so fortunate to be a part of,” Imperioli said.

“Speaking for Michael, myself, and the entire cast and crew, it was an honor working with The Sopranos creator David Chase, and of course, the great James Gandolfini,” Bracco said. 

Although Bracco and Imperioli didn’t share much screentime together (since Melfi’s scenes were almost entirely with Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano), they share the experience of being part of a show that was acclaimed as the artistic height of the medium when it aired, and remains endlessly rewatchable for TV fans everywhere.

The drama series has a powerful legacy within the history of the Emmys themselves. As Anderson noted at the top of the segment, The Sopranos was nominated for 111 Emmys during its 6 season run, winning a total of 21. 

Gandolfini died in 2013, but clearly Tony Soprano’s legacy lives on for both his viewers and collaborators. 

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