Tony was part of an unofficial crew of young criminals consisting of Silvio Dante, Ralph Cifaretto and Jackie Aprile. In the second and third episode the viewer sees Tony in a dream-like state, eventually arriving at what could be purgatory, where he is greeted by a man who takes the physical form of his late cousin Tony Blundetto. This, combined with previous "disrespect" from mob superiors, heightened the already present urge to rapidly move up the ranks. Tony is later seen with A.J. I think there was a theme in the show that there was no one to "take over". He also shows that he blames Carmela for preventing his mother from living with them. he is benefiting from the death of a great police officer, and that is totally unacceptable." . On April 2006 ("Members Only"), uncle Junior, suffering from dementia, believes Tony to be "Little Pussy" Malanga and shoots him in the abdomen. In their teenage years, the two Tony's spent summers at their Uncle Pat Blundetto's farm Pat was a soldier in the DiMeo organization. He was elevated to permanent capo in the late-eighties. [16], Brancato was incarcerated on Rikers island and as state inmate #09A0227 in the Oneida Correctional Facility in Rome, New York, and was subsequently transferred to the Hudson Correctional Facility. He is best known for his portrayal of Calogero C Anello in Robert De Niro's 1993 directorial debut, A Bronx Tale. on The Stugots, teaching his son how to steer. They planned a hit on Chris in order to get recognized by DiMeo capo Richie Aprile, who they knew disliked Chris for striking his niece, Adriana La Cerva, however it is revealed that Richie wouldn't have approved had he known. [15] On January 9, 2009, a judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison. Matthew was Sean Gismonte's partner-in-crime and an associate in the Soprano crew. Information Tony's earlier chaotic life via flashback. Melfi theorizes that Isabella was an idealized maternal figure that Tony's subconscious produced because of he was deeply upset at his own mother's actions at the time. "They said once this movie goes out, you will have people around you who will expose you to dangerous things and you have to be careful." He hopes that both his children will escape the life of crime he has led. Richard "Richie" Aprile (September 7, 1945 May, 2000) is a recurring character portrayed by David Proval on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. On March 26 1999 ("Isabella"), Tony is attacked by William Johnson "Petite" Clayborn and Rasheen Ray, two thugs sent by Uncle Junior under orders to execute Tony. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Behind the Scenes Matt and Sean worked with Christopher at various aspects of organized crime including: the Massarone Construction site, Junior Soprano's executive card game, and some burglary jobs with Chris and Sean. Brown He is a cousin of Louis Gismonte, a convict who spent time in the license plate workshop with DiMeo capo Richie Aprile. After extensive testing that includes an MRI scan and blood work no physical cause can be found so Dr. Cusamano referred Tony to psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi. However, like Bonpensiero, Tony was haunted by this murder. Brancato was arrested on December 10, 2005, in the Bronx for the murder of police officer Daniel Enchautegui, who was at home and off-duty at the time of his death, during a botched burglary. A naive and slimy yet ambitious "cheese fuck", he worked the Soprano crew's executive card game along with Sean. At their next session Tony is still reluctant to face his own psychological weaknesses. Matt"Drinkwater""Cheese-Fuck" Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! After A.J. Matthew Bevilaqua is a supporting character portrayed by Lillo Brancato, Jr. So they were gay for each other. He was a capo in the DiMeo crime family and led the Aprile crew. away from a life of crime, gets him a job working construction. In 2000, the two men failed in their attempt to assassinate Christopher Moltisanti as a favor to Richie Aprile, with Gismonte being shot dead by Moltisanti during the attempted drive-by at the Skyway Diner. Bevilaqua and Gismonte angered boss Tony Soprano by candidly talking about criminal activities, wasting their chances at quickly becoming made men. Hoping to get A.J. Tony was on bed rest for a few days and quickly recovered. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Matt heavily blames Sean for the hit, likely as Sean was an easy scapegoat since he is now dead. Nationality In 2018, a documentary chronicling the actor's infamous descent was released. He committed his first murder at the age of 23 on Labor Day weekend in 1982, killing a small-time bookie named Willie Overall. He often tells people about her aspiration to become a pediatrician. He worked under Tony's protg and honorary nephew Christopher Moltisanti in the family's pump and Dump scam. As the song "Don't Stop Believin'" plays in the background, the screen instantly cuts to black as Tony looks up, representing the fact that he himself, has been hit. Meadow Soprano (daughter)Anthony Soprano, Jr. (son) Matt had tried to kill Chris in order to prove himself to the non-nonsense capo Richie Aprille. He is shot to death on Tony's boat by Tony, Silvio, and Paulie, then weighted down and thrown into the ocean. Full name Most notably, after murdering his nephew, Christopher Moltisanti, he feels a rush of relief for finally being rid of his nephew, whom he felt he could no longer trust and had become a burden. Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, shot by Tony, Silvio and Paulie on a yacht, after they discovered that he was an FBI informant (June 9 2000). A.J. Matthew Bevilaqua was born in New Jersey in 1976 to a family of Italian descent, and Bevilaqua and Sean Gismonte became associates of Christopher Moltisanti in Paulie Gualtieri's crew of the DiMeo crime family. Sean Gismonte (died 2000) was a DiMeo crime family associate and the partner-in-crime of Matthew Bevilacqua. There is a caterpillar crawling on the back of Ralph's head. Janice Baccalieri (sister)Barbara Giglione (sister) [13], Brancato was charged with second-degree murder,[14] and his trial began on November 17, 2008. Tony was initially pleased with the relationship, believing Jackie to be a hard-working pre-med student from a good family. Matthew Bevilaqua, 2000 He also played Matthew Bevilaqua, a young mobster on The Sopranos. Nonetheless, this gave his family quite a scare and a painful memory of his nearly fatal shooting the previous year. Tony fails to attend their next scheduled session. Matthew Bevilaqua and his buddy Sean Gismonte were associates of the Soprano crew and at times did odd jobs and scams with Christopher. Tony has a panic attack while visiting his mother's home after she moves to Green Grove. Mikey Palmice (3) Uncle Junior's subordinate Mikey Palmice got violent quite early. Matt and Sean also took part in the Soprano crew's picket busting efforts at Massarone construction. After that he also tells her that he murdered Salvatore Bonpensiero and his cousin Tony Blundetto. Tony Soprano [6] On December 31, 2013, he was released on parole. When Tony was about to call 911 for help, he sees the baby seat in the back seat of the SUV destroyed by a tree branch, and then closes his phone and proceeds to suffocate him by holding his nose shut so he chokes to death on his own blood. Occupation(s) In the show, Lillo Brancato Jr. plays the role of Matthew Bevilaqua. Bevilaqua first appeared in the second-season premiere, "Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office", and appeared in five more episodes. Tony was also close to his cousin Tony Blundetto. It was only appropriate then that he should appear in HBO's hit mob drama "The Sopranos"in the midst of his accumulating momentum. Lillo Broncato told police that he broke into the empty home in order to obtain drugs and any other valuables. During Furio's visit for Tony's money, Sean and Matt act very unprofessional by showing Furio their entire cut of money from the job, hidden in a dresser. He was Matthew Bevilaqua's partner in crime and an associate in the Soprano crew. Tony's longtime friend and fellow captain Giacomo "Jackie" Aprile, Sr. took on the role of acting boss in December 1995. The shadowy figure in the doorway of the house has the profile of his mother, Livia, who is dead. Associate Brancato went on to star in 'R Xmas (2001), appearing with fellow Sopranos cast member Drea de Matteo, and appeared opposite Eddie Murphy as Larry in The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002). Matt's last words are screaming for his mother. Tony tries to confront Ralph about the situation but a heated argument ensues where Ralph unwittingly admits to having started the fire for insurance money to pay for his son's operation. He remarks how he spent countless hours with Tony on the football field, only to throw it away by going into crime. In November 2007 ("Kennedy and Heidi"), a stressed Tony Soprano has a dream following the death of his nephew Christopher Moltisanti. In September 1998 ("Meadowlands"), Tony has a dream of several people in his life in Dr. Melfi's office, causing him to be paranoid that people will find out he is seeing a psychiatrist. The dream ends with Tony confronting Melfi, only to find out he's speaking to his mother, Livia. Tony instead tells A.J. The FBI continued to try to pin the murder on Tony, but remained unsuccessful. Sadly, Big Mike's time on the Sopranos came to an end following his death in 2001. Political party One of the two assailants, Clayborn, is shot dead by Ray in an attempt to kill Tony, and Ray is left bruised but runs off. Tony's worries again amplified around A.J. A similar interesting fact, but in reverse, is that Vincent Piazza was in his early 30's when he played AJ's friend Hernan O'Brian, a teenager. Siblings Sean attempted to follow Matt but his seatbelt was stuck and he could not escape. Bevilaqua assured the two men that Gismonte was the one responsible for Moltisanti being injured, and Soprano, pretending to believe Bevilaqua, had Bonpensiero bring Bevilaqua a can of diet soda. Though there is a possibility that the test results were forged, for example they could have had someone else take the exam for him. His mistresses have been, in chronological order, of Russian, Italian, Italian/Cuban, and Jewish descent. Contents 1 Background 2 After Death 3 Appearances 3.1 Season 2 4 Trivia Background Matthew was Sean Gismonte 's partner-in-crime and an associate in the Soprano crew. Tony hears his cries for help, and rescues him. The witness identified Tony from a picture without knowing that he was a mob boss. All due respect. Tony had been using his putative nephew Christopher Moltisanti as a buffer between him and his capos during the past two seasons in order to insulate himself from the FBI. Tony also recalls that when he was only 13 his father would let him play around on the construction sites he ran, even driving heavy machinery, such as backhoes and diggers. Tony did not really plan to murder his nephew but saw the opportunity after a car accident caused by Moltisanti being high on drugs and finally had enough of Christopher's behavior. Soprano. On January 9, 2009, a judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison. Tony loses consciousness and causes a small explosion when he drops a bottle of lighter fluid onto the coals. He earned his brokerage license from Pace University and first sold shares in Webistics through a stock brokerage . Tony, who was wearing his seat belt, manages to escape from the wrecked car relatively unscathed, but Christopher, who was not wearing his seat belt, is coughing up blood and may have severe internal injuries. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. He was also the older brother of former DiMeo acting boss Jackie, Sr. In the first he is being driven by Carmela in the back of his father's old car while Ralph sits in the passenger seat. Brancato can be heard narrating the music video for the Chris Brown and Young Thug song "City Girls", released on December 4, 2020. Tony sees Isabella several times during the episode and later learns that she never existed. . Brancato was arrested on December 10, 2005, in the Bronx for the murder of police officer Daniel Enchautegui, who was at home and off-duty at the time of his death, during a botched burglary. Sean was distractingly good looking compared to Drinkwater. This does not deter Tony's rage as he angrily lets his mother know that he found out about the truth. Spouse Tony repeatedly worried about being implicated in the murder. From their introduction, "you're suppose to push webistics" to shitting at the scene of the crime to ultimately their deaths (Shawn just fucking dies with ZERO heroics), these guys had me absolutely glued to the screen. Italian-American While at the brokerage they got into trouble with Chris for stealing other brokers' cars and beating a broker who advised a client against buying into Webistics. In therapy, when asked to remember happy childhood memories about his mother, Tony struggled to come up with any, eventually recalling that he witnessed his father falling down the stairs, causing the whole family to laugh, even his mother; he later described his mother as a cruel, joyless woman who wore his father down "to a little nub". Episodes with dream sequences include "Pax Soprana", "Isabella", "Funhouse", "Everybody Hurts", "Calling All Cars" and "The Test Dream". In October 2004 ("The Test Dream"), Tony comes to terms with having to kill his cousin Tony Blundetto, as well reflecting inner demons and fears ranging from his children's future, his relationship with his wife, his infidelities, deceased acquaintances including some who have died by his hand or by his orders, his fate and even his relationship with his father. Bobby Baccalieri was being groomed as Moltisanti's replacement until he was killed by Phil Leotardo's hitmen when the Lupertazzi crime family launched a war against the DiMeo Crime Family. In March 1999 ("Isabella"), Tony, suffering from depression after Big Pussy disappears, acquaints himself with a dental student named Isabella who is staying in the Cusamano home while they are on vacation. Tony takes great pride in Meadow's achievements. Tony went to high school with Artie Bucco and Davey Scatino and remained friends with them into later life. He earned his brokerage license from Pace University and first sold shares in Webistics through a stock brokerage operated by Christopher Moltisanti. Tony is never suspected of this murder. His adoptive brother, Vinny, briefly worked as a fashion model and now works as a Yonkers civil servant. Rank Matthew Bevilacqua was Sean Gismonte's partner-in-crime and an associate in the DiMeo crime family working under Christopher Moltisanti in the Gualtieri crew. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Matt then goes into hiding. American MafiaDiMeo crime family Meadow's next boyfriend was Jackie Aprile Jr., the son of Tony's old friend Jackie Aprile, Sr. Tony had. It's a quiz you only need a 70 to pass, but only has a 65% pass rate, and at the time he would have taken it, it was a longer test because they hadn't split it into the two separate series 7 and the 66 exams. After his monumental debut in Robert Dinero's "A Bronx Tale" (1993),TV and movie big wigs shared high hopes for the budding star. Junior took over the paternal role and continued to advise and assist Tony. In A Bronx Tale (1993), he played the main character Calogero 'C' Anello, a teenager torn between his father and a mob boss who befriended him as a child (according to New York Magazine, Brancato earned $25,000 ($46,900 today) for the role). Brancato acted in three films in the mid-1990s, prior to joining the cast of The Sopranos. However, he also sometimes alienates his children with his behavior. They got into trouble with Christopher for stealing nearby cars which could draw too much attention from the police. [6] Brancato was a fan of De Niro and impressed the scout with an impression of Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver. James Gandolfini (adult)Bobby Boriello (child)Danny Petrillo (teenager)Michael Gandolfini (teenager)William Ludwig (child) He is an associate of the DiMeo crime family and a member of the Soprano crew. In the episode "Isabella" Tony sinks into a severe depressive episode and experiences hallucinations he sees a beautiful Italian woman named Isabella in his neighbor's garden. Officers originally pulled Brancato over for having a rear brake light out and found he had an expired registration and no other papers for the vehicle. He tells her about the stress of his business life he has a feeling that he has come in at the end of something and describes a reverence for the glorified "old days" of the Mafia. In "Denial, Anger, Acceptance" Tony discusses Jackie's cancer with Dr. Melfi. Tony has two children: Meadow Soprano and Anthony (A.J.) The Sopranos Gismonte then blames Bevilaqua for making him do all the talking. He also leaves without closing the apartment door. They decided to impress Richie Aprile by killing their former friend Moltisanti, his rival. In October 1998 ("Pax Soprana"), Tony has several dreams and fantasies of Dr. Melfi. Pussy denies this accusation, although Tony executes him regardless. She is cooking dinner and when she goes over to the oven the scarf drapes across Tony. Tony also ended up having to dispose of the body of her re-acquainted boyfriend Richie Aprile, after Janice killed him. Furio jokingly remarks that they "suck each other's cocks" in Italian to his associate. Shot to death Tony admits that he feels guilty because his mother could not be allowed to live with his family. Brancato studied at Mount Saint Michael Academy. Tony was born on August 22, 1959, to Livia and Johnny Soprano. This is probably because "T" is what close friends and associates call him not what some low level goons call him. Due to their lower status, Matt and Sean could not refuse. In a later session Dr. Melfi pushes Tony to admit he has feelings of anger towards his mother and he again storms out. Tony has personally committed at least eight murders in the show, although he may have committed others that have not been shown or referenced considering his lengthy career in the Mafia. Tony gained notoriety in the DiMeo crime family by robbing a card game run by Michele "Feech" La Manna along with Silvio and Jackie. In the fifth season finale, after Adriana is murdered, Tony asks Christopher if Adriana may have mentioned anything about Ralph or the "Bevilacqua kid" as he was taking precautions, making sure she hadn't said anything to the FBI to implicate them in relation to the murders. Reddit community dedicated to the HBO hit TV series, The Sopranos, and movie, The Many Saints of Newark. Chrissy himself would have got whacked very early but for who he was related to. However, Tony reassures himself that Moltisanti's murder was necessary, despite the hurt caused to his family and friends. Matt and Sean attempted a drive-by hit on Christopher which results in him shooting Sean to death in self-defense. He is at first tempted to spare his old friend, but in the end knows what his priorities are, knowing that his lifelong friend is a government informant and a threat to his crime family. While he may have been an important character in the series, Squicciarini still had his own demons when he was alive. Carmela Soprano On the fateful night of Dec. 10, 2005, a heroic police officer lost his life because of my drug taking and bad decision making," he said (per People Magazine). Matt and Sean pulled a drive-by hit as Chris left the Skyways Diner in Kearny. When he finds out it's almost worse than a regular job because you can never quit, he starts getting deeper into drug addiction. Find Matthew Bevilaqua obituaries and memorials at Legacy.com. When discussing it with Johnny Sack, Tony is quite angry as he tells John that he paid a lot, showing the weight that having to kill his cousin was causing Tony. . As with Jackie Junior wannabes always misread things and fucked up on relying on old tales of when members stepped up - thinking whacking Chrissy would score points with Aprile was a serious misread. The feds continued to try to pin the murder on Tony, but remained unsuccessful. Actor Lillo Brancato, best known for getting wacked by Tony Soprano as half-wit Matthew Bevilaqua in the HBO series The Sopranos, is returning to acting after eight years in prison, and some New York Police officers aren't happy about it. He was charged with a seventh-degree Class A misdemeanor for criminal possession of a controlled substance. She tells him that their flight from the pool sparked his panic attack through the overwhelming fear of somehow losing his own family. meets Blanca, and in Tony's opinion, A.J. In a previous episode he calls Tony "T" and Tony tells him to refer to him as Tony. Tony is an avid animal lover and enjoys feeding the ducks which visit his pool. In November 2002 ("Everybody Hurts"), Tony dreams of his ex-comar Gloria Trillo shortly after learning of her suicide by hanging. He ended up in a car accident in an unrequested "stake-out" gone wrong. In the second season of The Sopranos, which HBO broadcast in 2000, Brancato starred as Matthew Bevilaqua, a young mobster associated with Tony Soprano's crime syndicate. Tony begins to open up once Dr. Melfi explains the doctor-patient confidentiality rules. ", "The Officer Down Memorial Page: Detective Daniel Enchautegui", "Murder trial scheduled for 'Sopranos' actor", "Did Suspects Know Victim Was an Officer? Catholic Sean "Gis" Gismonte portrayed by Chris Tardio is an associate of the Soprano Crew, and member of the DiMeo crime family. Charges of second-degree murder were also leveled against him, but they didn't stick. Tony could come off as a hypocrite at times. This closeness leads Tony to have something of a "crush" on Dr. Melfi, something that is unattainable. Tony listens to classic rock and pop music, particularly of the 1960s and 70s. Richie attempts to kill Matt by attacking him with a baseball bat. On December 22, 2008, a jury found him not guilty of murder, but found him guilty of first-degree attempted burglary. In the second dream Tony follows Ralph to an old house, which Ralph enters. Vic Musto's subtle change in facial expression after Davey describes how Tony collects his debts amounts to this as well. The two killed Matt after he attempted to kill Chris. When the witness learned that the murder was Mafia-related, he then refused to cooperate. Sean and Matthew shared an apartment together. Furthermore, he conspired with Tony's own mother, Livia Soprano, to have Tony killed (although the hit failed). However, Matt runs off and is chased by Richie. Just as Tony is about to enter the house he wakes up. Prior to this, Bonpensiero confessed to being an informant, and the four have one last drink. He has a sentimental attachment towards animals, being traumatized by the loss of his childhood dog (as revealed in the episode, Tony enjoys fishing, as he is seen many times over the course of the show engaging in both freshwater and saltwater angling. When the witness learned that the murder was mafia-related, he then refused to cooperate and denied it was Tony Soprano who he had indeed witnessed. Despite his love of fishing, he is sometimes haunted by visions of, Tony is also an amateur yachtsman and has owned two motor yachts over the course of the show -. The relationship between Tony and his uncle, Corrado John Soprano, Jr. (better known as Junior Soprano), was very close for many years, with Junior acting as a father figure for Tony following the death of Giovanni (AKA Johnny Boy) Soprano, Tony's father. "Oh wow RIP," responded actor Lillo Brancato Jr, who played young mobster Matthew Bevilaqua on the series. Tony has to juggle North Jersey's most powerful criminal organization, keeping it functioning properly and keeping dissonance to a minimum. The character was murdered in "From Where to Eternity", before appearing in flashback during "Bust Out". He did lack any form of common sense however. Born on June 9, 1983, Matt was a resident of Atlanta, GA. As a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America and a cert seems to be doing better. Italian-American Following the dream he acts differently to his friends and family, trying to see if they also feel relieved now that Christopher is dead. [13] On December 22, 2008, a jury found him not guilty of murder, but found him guilty of first-degree attempted burglary. The witness identified Tony from a picture without knowing that he was a high ranking mobster. Dr. Melfi makes a connection between meat and Tony's panic attacks and also explores his mother's attitude to the fruits of his father's labor. Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office Matt went to Pace College. The caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Date of Birth Police Say Statements Differ", Former 'Sopranos' Actor Brancato Gets Parole, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lillo_Brancato&oldid=1141728889, Prisoners and detainees of New York (state), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Petty Officer Third Class Russell Vossler, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 14:02. Tony realized this when he caught Jackie at strip clubs and a casino. To hide this from associates, he lied that he was unable to participate because he had been mugged and injured. Tony seems to have a soft spot for classic black and white films, as he is often seem watching them before sleep and regularly commentating on them. The car rolls off a hill and crashes upright. Matt ran away from the scene and went to Richie to tell him that the hit was done for him as a favor. Christopher then fired off a shot that hit Sean in the head, killing him instantaneously. [6], On June 10, 2005, Brancato was arrested by the Yonkers Police Department, in Yonkers, New York. This gave insight to that Tony did not originally intend to be a mobster and had some inklings towards a legitimate life. And in the end, you're completely alone with it all. He was released from incarceration early because of good behavior and educational requirements he agreed to meet. With the help of a therapist and medication, A.J. In 2000, he was executed by Tony Soprano for attempting to assassinate his nephew Christopher Moltisanti . In November 2007 ("Kennedy and Heidi"), Tony sustains minor injuries in a car accident that seriously injures his nephew Christopher Moltisanti (whom Tony killed by suffocation while Christopher succumbed to his injuries). Tony sometimes has vivid dreams that are shown to the viewer. This won him the role of De Niro's son in A Bronx Tale.[4]. Matt and Sean were from West Orange, New Jersey. As someone with a stock broker license, he definitely had to have at least some level of booksmarts. back on track, Tony rekindles A.J. [2] Adopted when he was four months old, he was raised by Italian-American parents, Lillo Brancato Sr., a construction worker, and Domenica, an electrolysist,[3] in Yonkers, New York. He is an associate of the DiMeo crime family and a member of the Soprano crew. CNN reports that it was a little after 5am whenDaniel Enchautegui, a 28-year-old off duty police officer, heard a slight commotion coming from the house next door to his. Later they discuss Livia's car accident and Melfi suggests depression may have contributed to the accident - Tony misunderstands her and becomes angry. The murder of Matthew Bevilaqua was pure vengeance and an act that he believed had to be carried out since Christopher getting shot was a direct affront to him as boss of the DiMeo family, and as Christopher's cousin. Tony is often portrayed as a loving father he attends his children's sporting events on a regular basis and does all he can to insure they have all the luxuries and opportunities that life has to offer. Fate He favors dark features but also had a few brief flings with blond European women, including a Russian housekeeper and a stewardess from Icelandic Airways. Young Tony Soprano has been portrayed by several actors.