James Gandolfini’s role on HBO’s “The Sopranos” was nothing short of iconic. And when the series wrapped in 2007, it’s no surprise the actor was offered some huge opportunities—many of which would be hard to turn down. One of which, for Gandolfini, it turns out was as bumbling boss Michael Scott on the NBC sitcom “The Office.”
On a recent episode of Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa’s “Talking Sopranos” podcast, Imperioli, who was Gandolfini’s co-star on “The Sopranos,” revealed that NBC wanted to bring Gandolfini in to replace Steve Carell on “The Office” when Carell exited the series in 2011.
What James Gandolfini Taught His ‘Sopranos’ Co-Stars About Acting “You know, they talked about having Gandolfini at one point replace [Carell]—did you know that?” Imperioli asked. Schirripa provided more context, adding: “I think before James Spader [who did eventually replace Carell], they offered Jim I want to say, $4 million to play him for the season. And HBO paid him $3 million not to do it. That’s a fact.”
So, why was HBO so hell-bent that Gandolfini not join the series, despite the fact “The Sopranos” had been over for more than four years? Ricky Gervais, who was also a guest on the podcast episode, ventured, “So they paid him that to keep the legacy of ‘The Sopranos’ pure?”
But the more likely answer is that Gandolfini had a deal with HBO at the time, and had been slated to star in the miniseries “The Night Of,” on which he would have played a gritty detective. As such, it’s possible the cable network didn’t want audiences to see him in such contrasting TV roles simultaneously.
Either way, the “could haves” and “what ifs” of Hollywood seem to never end. It’s undeniable that the dynamic of “The Office” would have been shaken up big-time had Gandolfini been cast back in 2011. And therein lies the beauty of getting inside scoop casting scoops: Audiences can let their imaginations run wild.
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