Entertainment

Gandolfini's son cast as young Tony for 'Sopranos' prequel

23 of January 2019

FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2019 file photo, Michael Gandolfini attends HBO's "The Sopranos" 20th anniversary in New York. Gandolfini has been cast as the young Tony Soprano in the planned “Sopranos” prequel, “The Many Saints of Newark.” Gandolfini will play a younger version of the iconic character his late father James Gandolfini played on the HBO series. The 19-year-old actor has had a recurring role on HBO’s “The Deuce.” (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File),FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2019 file photo, Michael Gandolfini attends HBO's "The Sopranos" 20th anniversary in New York. Gandolfini has been cast as the young Tony Soprano in the planned “Sopranos” prequel, “The Many Saints of Newark.” Gandolfini will play a younger version of the iconic character his late father James Gandolfini played on the HBO series. The 19-year-old actor has had a recurring role on HBO’s “The Deuce.” (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — The son of James Gandolfini has been cast as the young Tony Soprano in the planned “Sopranos” prequel, “The Many Saints of Newark.”

Michael Gandolfini will play a younger version of the iconic character his late father played on the HBO series. The 19-year-old actor has had a recurring role on HBO’s “The Deuce.”

Gandolfini said in a statement it’s “a profound honor to continue my dad’s legacy.” James Gandolfini died of a heart attack at the age of 51 in 2013.

“Sopranos” creator David Chase is producer and screenwriter for the New Line production. Alan Taylor, who directed several episodes of “The Sopranos” and 2013’s “Thor: The Dark World,” is set to direct.

“The Sopranos” recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its 1999 debut.