Tony Soprano Similar testimonials were included by his co-stars and colleagues; Bryan Cranston stated that his "Breaking Bad" character, Walter White, would not have existed without Tony Soprano. Tony Soprano quickly became a pop culture icon during the show’s run. In an article for the "Los Angeles Times", Chris Lee referred to Tony Soprano as a “cultural sensation” who became the “unlikeliest of sex symbols.” On the importance of Gandolfini’s performance, Lee stated: “He forever rejiggered television's fascination with morally challenged antiheroes and less-than-physically-perfect protagonists.” Mark Lawson of "The Guardian" praised Gandolfini for his “towering central performance” as Tony Soprano, writing: “The
Livia Soprano Livia Soprano Olivia "Livia" Soprano (née Pollio), played by Nancy Marchand, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series "The Sopranos". She is the mother of Tony Soprano. A young Livia, played by Laila Robins and later by Laurie J. Williams is sometimes seen in flashbacks. Series creator David Chase has stated that the main inspiration for the character was his own mother. In 2016, "Rolling Stone" ranked her #3 of their "40 Greatest TV Villains of All Time". Olivia Pollio Soprano was born in Providence, Rhode Island to Teresa and Faustino "Augie" Pollio, Italian immigrants from Avellino. Livia's