John Ventimiglia, who was on 'The Sopranos,' was in my first acting class and we have been friends since that time. Alec Baldwin was in my class back then, Sean Young and Andrew McCarthy. Michael Imperioli More Quotes by Michael Imperioli More Quotes From Michael Imperioli Stop and appreciate what you have today. Look at what you have with wider eyes, maybe with more compassion and more gratitude for the things that you do have and not the things you don’t have. Michael Imperioli gratitude eye compassion I'd go for parts that didn't pay a dime, and there would be 300 to 400 actors there. It could be very discouraging. To make it in this business, you have to have a kind of dumb sense that you're really good. You have to believe that someone is going to recognize that. Michael Imperioli dumb would-be believe There's too many actors in LA. I mean, I'll go out there from time to time, but I always find it pretty soul-destroying. I don't drive, and the people kind of rub me the wrong way. It's just not home. You know? It's not New York. It's not... my town. Michael Imperioli new-york home mean Not to toot our own horn, but when 'The Sopranos' was on, it was as good as any movie that was coming out in the theater. I think that goes for a lot of shows today. Michael Imperioli sopranos today thinking My family is my life, and everything else comes second as far as what's important to me. Michael Imperioli whats-important my-family important In Britain you're more used to challenging drama. In America, TV is just boring, and numbing, and bloody terrible. Michael Imperioli challenges drama america I've played some gangster roles, but that's obviously not me. When you're an Italian-American New York actor, it's just an easy way to get cast. Michael Imperioli roles italian new-york I've been working professionally as an actor since I was 20. That's going to be 25 years soon. So, that's a veteran. That's a big-time veteran. I've had some great successes, and I've had some not-successes. Michael Imperioli veteran actors years I played guitar in a band from when I was about 20 for three years. Then I sang a little. Then I started getting really busy as an actor and forgot about it. Michael Imperioli guitar three years Detroit is a city that really stands out. It's been through a very difficult time. There's been a lot of pain here, and the city, physically, has suffered. You can see it in certain neighborhoods, and there's buildings downtown that have been abandoned. Michael Imperioli detroit pain cities Detroit 1-8-7' - the numbers are police slang for murder - is filmed in that blue-collar Michigan city, providing a flavor of authenticity. Detroit offers a unique visual landscape that tells the story of the city and what it's been through. Michael Imperioli unique cities numbers Back 20 years ago, there was a division between movie actors and TV actors. That's kind of gone away. People who have had a lot of success in movies in the past now want to be on TV. There used to be much more of a quality division between TV and movies, and that's kind of not the case anymore. Michael Imperioli gone-away past years I do smoke in real life. A lot. We're all smoking right now in fact. Michael Imperioli marijuana real smoking To be at acting school, it was kind of the first time you felt the freedom to be as much of yourself as you wanted. People weren't going to judge you. Michael Imperioli judging people school But James Gandolfini and Edie Falco, they did such great work, especially in the last show. Michael Imperioli last great great-work work In this world, there really is a law of cause and effect: You reap what you sow. Then energy you put out really does come back to you. Michael Imperioli you energy law world I like working with people I know and feel a kinship to. Michael Imperioli feel like know people 'Pitchfork' said something like, 'Michael Imperioli wrote a book that sounds like Lou Reed fan fiction,' which maybe it is. It's fiction, and I'm a fan. But it's not about me, and it's not a Lou Reed book. Michael Imperioli something me said book When I was young, you went to school, dealt with your friends and drama, went home, did your homework, went to bed, and started over the next day. But that social interaction that happens at school doesn't end now - it goes until the minute you go to bed and starts again when you wake up. Michael Imperioli day you home school When you're going through these difficult times of chaos and trauma, the most important thing is to keep those who are closest to you together. Michael Imperioli you chaos important together
