Michael Imperioli was one of the slew of stars who made a name for themselves via The Sopranos. Imperioli was seen in the series playing the trigger-happy young mobster, Christopher Moltisanti, who undergoes an incredible arc through the six seasons, before being killed off by James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano.

The Sopranos star Michael Imperioli. (Credit: HBO).

However, long before his arc culminated in a resounding death in the season 6 episode Kennedy and Heidi, Imperioli flirted with the idea of leaving the series. It was all due to tensions with co-star Tony Sirico, who played Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri. Sirico’s real-life connections to organized crime and his intimidating demeanor initially made Imperioli uneasy. However, this rocky start eventually transformed into a deep and lasting friendship.

Michael Imperioli was well aware of Tony Sirico before The Sopranos Michael Imperioli and James Gandolfini in The Sopranos. | Max

Before joining The Sopranos, both actors had crossed paths,...