Michael Rispoli Michael Rispoli Michael Rispoli is an American character actor. He was in the cast of the HBO television series "The Sopranos" as Jackie Aprile, Sr. Rispoli reunited with "Sopranos" co-star James Gandolfini in the 2009 thriller "The Taking of Pelham 123". Rispoli was a contender for the role of Tony Soprano that ultimately went to Gandolfini. Rispoli, a second-generation Italian American, was raised in Tappan, New York, one of eight children, and attended Tappan Zee High School, where he played football. He majored in theater at State University of New York at Plattsburgh and graduated in 1982. The feature film
The Sopranos interviews and tours which strongly inspired some characters, settings, and storylines portrayed in "The Sopranos". Like the characters they portray on the show, many of the actors on "The Sopranos" are Italian American. Many cast members had appeared together in films and television series before joining the cast of "The Sopranos". The series shares a total of 27 actors with the 1990 Martin Scorsese gangster film, "Goodfellas", including main cast members Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, and Tony Sirico. The main cast was put together through a process of auditions and readings. Actors often did not know whether Chase liked their