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Sopranos star Dominic Chianese celebrated his 95th birthday with show creator David Chase and actress Edie Falco at a panel in New York City’s Museum of the Moving Image
Moderator Ari Aster honored the special occasion by leading the crowd in a rendition of the “Happy Birthday” song
Chianese also revealed why he decided to take up acting, saying, “I loved when people laughed”
Dominic Chianese celebrated his recent birthday with two special people by his side!
The Sopranos star was celebrated at the second night of “Celebrating The Sopranos Season 3” with show creator David Chase and actress Edie Falco at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City on Friday, Feb. 27 – just days after his 95th birthday.
At the end of a screening and panel, moderator Ari Aster honored the special occasion by leading the crowd in a rendition of the “Happy Birthday” song to Chianese.
(L-R) David Chase, Dominic Chianese, and Edie Falco.
Credit: Raven Brunner
Chase and Falco sang along, and at one point, Falco rested her hand on Chianese’s shoulder. About halfway through the song, Chianese reached out to hold Falco and Chase’s hands as he swayed along.
Towards the end, Chase playfully tugged on Chianese’s cheek.
Chianese, who played Corrado “Junior” Soprano in the HBO hit, turned 95 on Feb. 24. His daughter, Rebecca, shared a glimpse at their private celebration in an Instagram post the day after his birthday, writing, “Happy 95th birthday Papa.”
The post included a picture of Chianese with daughter and his son Dominic Jr., as well as one of a stylish brown cake topped with raspberries and white chocolate.
The landmark series ran for six seasons from 1999 to 2007. The crime drama, created by Chase, starred the late James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, a troubled Mafia boss from New Jersey. Falco played Tony’s wife Camela and Chianese played his uncle. Michael Imperioli, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler also starred.
The Museum of the Moving Image opened its Stories and Set Designs for The Sopranos exhibition on Feb. 14, and held three special screenings followed by panels with Chase and other cast members.
Dominic Chianese on ‘The Sopranos.’
Credit: Craig Blankenhorn/HBO
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Chianese spoke on the Feb. 27 panel, after a screening of the season 3 episode “A Second Opinion,” about why he decided to take up acting. “I had some great lines,” he recalled of being on the show. “That’s the reason I got into show business, honestly, because I loved when people laughed.”
The actor continued to tell a story of when he was 26 years old and made a joke while asking a woman to dinner. “Her laugh almost knocked me over because I didn’t know how funny it was. I said, ‘I’m going to stay in show business,’ ” he remembered.
(L-R) David Chase, Dominic Chianese, Edie Falco and Ari Aster.
Credit: Thanassi Karageorgiou / Museum of the Moving Image
“I just loved being in that show. It’s very moving to me, and I felt like I was married to it in a sense,” Chianese said.
He also starred in The Godfather Part II and Boardwalk Empire.
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