Michael Gandolfini on 'Many Saints of Newark' role: 'Probably the toughest decision I've ever had to make'

Michael Gandolfini will honor his late father, James Gandolfini, by playing the younger version of Tony Soprano in the Sopranos prequel film The Many Saints of Newark.

If that seems like it would've been a no-brainer for the 22-year-old actor, it certainly wasn't. In fact, as he told Empire, it was "probably the toughest decision I've ever had to make."

"You know, I didn’t want to put pressure on myself to walk out of this feeling like I’d grown in terms of my feelings towards my dad," Gandolfini continued. "I just wanted to be the best actor I could be, portraying Tony in the way [The Sopranos creator] David [Chase] wanted, scene by scene. I didn't think about my grief because ... well, I would have s—t the bed."

The Sopranos premiered on HBO in January 1999 and evolved into a monumental television event throughout its six-season run that concluded in June 2007. James Gandolfini shined (to the tune of three Emmys) as New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano. The then-51-year-old died from a heart attack in June 2013. 

Michael was 14 years old at the time and had never watched the iconic series until being cast in The Many Saints of Newark, which chronicles the formative years of Tony Soprano.

"My dad's character had all this beautiful sensitivity underneath this aggression," Michael added. "This version of him is the reverse. His curiosity and sensitivity comes first. He's not a gun-wielding gangster. He's a kid who gets whittled down and pulled in."

"It was almost surreal to see Michael in the trailer," Deborah Lin, the widow of James and stepmother to Michael, told Page Six in July. "I know it took a lot of courage for him to take this role. It was very emotional. But the whole family is just so proud of him. His father would be very proud."

Gandolfini and Lin married in August 2008, and the couple welcomed a daughter named Liliana in October 2012.

The younger Gandolfini previously acted in supporting roles for Ocean's Eight, The Deuce and Cherry.

The Many Saints of Newark, directed by Alan Taylor, will simultaneously hit theaters and HBO Max on Oct. 1. Watch the trailer below.