I think he was miscast as Sonny Black. After reading about the real Sonny Black and seeing pictures, I don't think Madsen was the right choice. Armand Assante would have been a better choice. Madsen doesn't even look Italian or believable as a man from the mafia.
shareYears and years have gone by and I still believe this movie did not live to its 100% potential just because of that, the fact Michael Madsen does not even look italian and his playing an italian mob captain, in a Mafia so tight and restricted to its membership...Jesus Christ! this is not the role for him... but oh well... just goes down in history next to Keanu Reeves' Jonathan Harper...
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I agree as far as his looks but he has a certain nastiness about him (and often does in other films, even as a "nice guy" in "Thelma and Louise") that made him believable as the petty, bullying jerk that Sonny Black was, especially to Lefty. I think his sleaziest scene is when he highjacks the boat cruise from Lefty, taking all the credit for Lefty and Joey's work, and there's nothing they can do about it. His insulting, opportunistic actions made Lefty's role even more pathetic, and hence, Joey's allegiance to him more believable.
shareThis thread is kind of funny to me. I'm half Italian and so half of my family are Italian. I know the stereotype of Italian men is that they are all olive skinned, tanned, white guys with black hair.
There are some like that in my family. My father who is 100% Italian is fairly pale and has light brown hair.
Even so though what amuses me is everyone keeps saying what the real Sonny Black looked like with black hair etc...
According to a whole bunch of sources online, Sonny Black was a natural blond (yes you do get them in Italy), so he himself didn't look like the "stereotypical Italian"!
"Dominick “Sonny Black” Napolitano came into this world on June 16, 1930 and was raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn where he got his start as a petty thief. Although his descendants were from Naples, Italy, he was born with blond hair and as he grew into adulthood died it jet black which earned him the nickname “Sonny Black”."
http://americanmafiahistory.com/sonny-black/
According to a whole bunch of sources online, Sonny Black was a natural blond (yes you do get them in Italy), so he himself didn't look like the "stereotypical Italian"!
Forget my father, I'm talking about Sonny Black. I shared a link but obviously you did not read it.
Sonny Black's descendants were not Sicilian, Neapolitan or Calabrese. His were from Naples.
"Dominick “Sonny Black” Napolitano came into this world on June 16, 1930 and was raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn where he got his start as a petty thief. Although his descendants were from Naples, Italy, he was born with blond hair and as he grew into adulthood died it jet black which earned him the nickname “Sonny Black”."
LINKS-
http://americanmafiahistory.com/sonny-black/
http://mafia.wikia.com/wiki/Dominick_Napolitano
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominick_Napolitano
http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=95966
Sonny Black's descendants were not Sicilian, Neapolitan or Calabrese. His were from Naples.
He was fine in the part. Asante would have been good, sure. I don't think Michael madden was miscast.
shareArmand Assante
When theres no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.share
^YES! He would've been perfect for the role of Sonny Black, if only because Michael Madsen looked and performed alittle too much like a thug or a foot soldier to be taken seriously as a potentially 'made' man. Also, Armand is just the all around better actor. I never understood how Michael Madsen with all his mumbling and growling got so far in the acting business.
He would've been perfect for the role of Sonny Black, if only because Michael Madsen looked and performed alittle too much like a thug or a foot soldier to be taken seriously as a potentially 'made' man.
100% agreed!
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True, the lack of accent was especially annoying. But Depp was also miscast, to be honest. Too much of a pretty boy and doesn't look Italian either.
shareChazz Palminteri was offered the role of Sonny Black. Michael Madsen was cast after he turned it down.
He was directing a film and could not fit it into his schedule. I just saw Chazz talking about this on his podcast. He loves this film and regrets that he turned down the role.
He also said that he thought Michael Madsen was great and he seemed sincere.
Michael was very good. I do think Chazz was the right actor for that role though.