Michael Imperioli Laments ‘Sopranos’ Co-Star Tony Sirico’s Omission from Oscars In Memoriam

13 March 2023

Every year the Oscar’s hold an in memoriam segment honoring stars and Hollywood professionals who lost their lives over the past year, and every time, there’s controversy after the segment seems to leave notable faces out. “White Lotus” star Michael Imperioli is adding to the criticism that this year’s in memoriam received, by blasting the omission of his prior co-stars Tony Sirico, Paul Sorvino, and Tom Sizemore.

“SORVINO, SIRICO and SIZEMORE,” Imperioli wrote in an Instagram post on Monday, featuring headshots of all three actors. “These three brilliant actors were forgotten by the Academy last night at the Oscars. I was proud and honored to have worked with all three of these men and it saddened me to see Hollywood ignore them on its biggest night.”

Imperioli and Sirico famously worked together on all six seasons of the beloved HBO mobster drama “The Sopranos;” Imperioli played Christopher Moltisanti, while Sirico played the short-tempered Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri. Imperioli and Sorvino both appeared in supporting roles in Martin Scorsese’s 1990 gangster film classic “Goodfellas.” Sizemore and Imperioli were in two films together, 1990’s “A Matter of Degrees” and 1998’s “Witness to the Mob.”

Earlier on Monday, Sorvino’s daughter actor Mira Sorvino criticized the omission of her father from the Oscars tribute, writing on Twitter that “it is baffling beyond belief that my beloved father and many other amazing brilliant departed actors were left out. The Oscars forgot about Paul Sorvino, but the rest of us never will!!”

Aside from Sorvino, Sirico, and Sizemore, Anne Heche, Leslie Jordan, “Triangle of Sadness” star Charlbi Dean, Barbara Walters, Cindy Williams, Melinda Dillon, Philip Baker Hall, Hugh Hudson, Peter Brook, Mike Hodges, George T. Miller, and Lisa Marie Presley were among those not represented in the In Memoriam section, which was introduced by John Travolta and featured music by Lenny Kravitz. The segment did end with a QR code that directed viewers to a page on the Oscars’ official website, featuring a more complete list of recently deceased stars.

Check out Imperioli’s instagram tribute to the three actors below.

 

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A post shared by @realmichaelimperioli

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