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Yankees have a few guys...Rizzo, Gallo, 'Giancarlo' Stanton. A decade ago I'd have continued to ponder this, but the only reason I watch baseball anymore is for betting purposes
Astros had Mancini & Odorizzi this season and of course Biggio is one of the most famous Astros of all time.
Hollywood's all about bringing back the greatest hits (to an excessive degree), so I mean...I'd never be shocked to see a Sopranos movie made, or something, despite the passage of time since that show was a cultural phenomenon
Well about the Sopranos movie... there was one made last year. The Many Saints of Newark. It was terrible (my opinion, also the critical consensus) and I recall David Chase commenting how difficult it was to find authentic Italian actors in New York to fill his roles in the film versus the early 2000s when so many Italian guys tried auditioning for the show they couldn’t beat them off with a stick.
Well about the Sopranos movie... there was one made last year. The Many Saints of Newark. It was terrible (my opinion, also the critical consensus) and I recall David Chase commenting how difficult it was to find authentic Italian actors in New York to fill his roles in the film versus the early 2000s when so many Italian guys tried auditioning for the show they couldn’t beat them off with a stick.
That's interesting. Now that I think about it, nearly all of the younger actors playing "Italian" roles on TV these days are not actually Italian.
-Lucy Fry plays Stella Gigante in Godfather of Harlem. To my knowledge, she's not Italian. Rafi Gavron plays Ernie Nunzi, a solider in the Gigante family, and he was raised Jewish in London. All of the old school actors were Italian and raised in New York City, however: Vincent D'Onofrio, Paul Sorvino, Chaz Palminteri and Kathrine Narducci.
-Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing a working-class Italian guy from Jersey in Don Jon.
-Cruise with Emily Ratajkowski playing an upper class Queens girl who wants to be down and Spencer Boldman playing the stereotypical Italian role. Only he's not Italian and he grew up in Dallas.
-Stephen Graham, an Englishman not of Italian ancestry, playing Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire. However, Vincent Piazza, who played Charlie Luciano, is 100% Italian and raised in Queens. Bobby Cannavale is excellent as Gyp Rosetti, but he's in his 50s and doesn't exactly qualify as "young."
-Jerry Ferrara kind of plays an Italian guy in the TV show POWER.
If they ever decide to make a Godfather 4, it will likely be with a bunch of Scottish actors trained in theater.
that's interesting. Now that i think about it, nearly all of the younger actors playing "italian" roles on tv these days are not actually italian.
-lucy fry plays stella gigante in godfather of harlem. To my knowledge, she's not italian. Rafi gavron plays ernie nunzi, a solider in the gigante family, and he was raised jewish in london. All of the old school actors were italian and raised in new york city, however: Vincent d'onofrio, paul sorvino, chaz palminteri and kathrine narducci.
-joseph gordon-levitt playing a working-class italian guy from jersey in don jon.
-cruise with emily ratajkowski playing an upper class queens girl who wants to be down and spencer boldman playing the stereotypical italian role. Only he's not italian and he grew up in dallas.
-stephen graham, an englishman not of italian ancestry, playing al capone in boardwalk empire. However, vincent piazza, who played charlie luciano, is 100% italian and raised in queens. Bobby cannavale is excellent as gyp rosetti, but he's in his 50s and doesn't exactly qualify as "young."
-jerry ferrara kind of plays an italian guy in the tv show power.
if they ever decide to make a godfather 4, it will likely be with a bunch of scottish actors trained in theater.
Yeah, Annabella Sciorra was in her prime gorgeous when she was on the Sopranos. Her range as an actress is great too. Prior to the Sopranos, I only remembered her as a kid from the movie The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (great 90's psychological horror movie) as a nerdy suburban mom (no hint of a NY accent at all). Now everything I see her in since The Sopranos, she's always in a role where her "tough-girl" NYC/Italian side is on display, lol.
I just googled her. She has really aged (she's 62 and looks it). Seems like just yesterday, she was a bombshell. Like you said, unfortunately she is among the classic Italian Americans on screen who are "graying" and her type are also fading (you don't see many Italian American women like her anymore).
Katherine Narducci was also a classic, 100% Italian American bombshell. She is still looking gorgeous at 56.
Yeah, Annabella Sciorra was in her prime gorgeous when she was on the Sopranos. Her range as an actress is great too. Prior to the Sopranos, I only remembered her as a kid from the movie The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (great 90's psychological horror movie) as a nerdy suburban mom (no hint of a NY accent at all). Now everything I see her in since The Sopranos, she's always in a role where her "tough-girl" NYC/Italian side is on display, lol.
I just googled her. She has really aged (she's 62 and looks it). Seems like just yesterday, she was a bombshell. Like you said, unfortunately she is among the classic Italian Americans on screen who are "graying" and her type are also fading (you don't see many Italian American women like her anymore).
Katherine Narducci was also a classic, 100% Italian American bombshell. She is still looking gorgeous at 56.
You're not going to see anymore Gaia Giraces (on the left) in the U.S. after long. You'll have to go to Italy.
There is a black presence(about 1000 residents in the city/Russell Wilson's grandfather is from the city) and the city is about a third Hispanic, mainly Puerto Rican. Relatively big Polish presence as well. A visible Jewish population as well(Kirk Douglas was a native from that community). Ironically, an example of someone that is black and Italian earlier in the thread is also from there.
I am curious about New Castle PA, which is in western PA in between Pittsburgh and the OH border.
New Castle, being between Pittsburgh and Youngstown should not be a surprise that it's heavily Italian (county wise Lawrence County is I believe the most Italian in ancestry in the country by percent).
I've been there a couple times about 20ish years ago and to me it was just like the other older cities in that area, though you could tell had a very heavy Italian influence. The funniest story I have from there was talking to a former co-worker of mine (who was Italian from Youngstown). Since I also lived in Youngstown for a couple of years we were BSing one day and New Castle came up, and my ex-co worker said he worked in New Castle for a year (this probably would have been late 70s or 80s). He said him and his boss (also Italian) got into it one day (this was a legit company not some all out mob stuff) and his boss opened up his desk drawer, dropped a .38 on his desk and said "we can do this your way, or we can do it my way. Take your pick."
Actually, the company (while legit) may have been mob controlled since that whole area between Cleveland and Pittsburgh was a battleground between two of the more powerful Italian mob families. Cleveland controlled most of Northeast Ohio (Akron, Canton, Warren) and most of the labor unions. Pittsburgh controlled Youngstown, Steubenville and western Pennsylvania and had the vice money. So between the two, the Italian mafia was pulling the strings all over that area (with Youngstown being ground zero) even into the late 90s.
I haven't been to New Castle since the late 90s/early 2000s, but it would not surprise me if it's still a place where 3rd/4th generation Italians are culturally more like 2nd/3rd generation Italians in other areas that are more fully assimilated.
New Castle, being between Pittsburgh and Youngstown should not be a surprise that it's heavily Italian (county wise Lawrence County is I believe the most Italian in ancestry in the country by percent).
I've been there a couple times about 20ish years ago and to me it was just like the other older cities in that area, though you could tell had a very heavy Italian influence. The funniest story I have from there was talking to a former co-worker of mine (who was Italian from Youngstown). Since I also lived in Youngstown for a couple of years we were BSing one day and New Castle came up, and my ex-co worker said he worked in New Castle for a year (this probably would have been late 70s or 80s). He said him and his boss (also Italian) got into it one day (this was a legit company not some all out mob stuff) and his boss opened up his desk drawer, dropped a .38 on his desk and said "we can do this your way, or we can do it my way. Take your pick."
Actually, the company (while legit) may have been mob controlled since that whole area between Cleveland and Pittsburgh was a battleground between two of the more powerful Italian mob families. Cleveland controlled most of Northeast Ohio (Akron, Canton, Warren) and most of the labor unions. Pittsburgh controlled Youngstown, Steubenville and western Pennsylvania and had the vice money. So between the two, the Italian mafia was pulling the strings all over that area (with Youngstown being ground zero) even into the late 90s.
I haven't been to New Castle since the late 90s/early 2000s, but it would not surprise me if it's still a place where 3rd/4th generation Italians are culturally more like 2nd/3rd generation Italians in other areas that are more fully assimilated.
It’s always interesting to hear about Italian American culture in other parts of the North, outside of the Northeast. There is even cool diversity in Italian American culture in the NE. A Philadelphia Italian American is different than an NYC/NJ Italian American, who is different than a Boston/Providence/New Haven/New England Italian American.
The interior Northeast (Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Rochester, Albany) and other parts of that region seem to have strong Italian American pockets. Then the neighboring Upper Midwest region like Cleveland, Youngstown, Chicago, metro Detroit and even dipping into St Louis have unique Italian American cultures and populations.
I hope it does not completely die out. It is part of the North’s identity.
Last edited by personone; 08-10-2022 at 07:33 PM..
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