LaPaglia on Soprano, Lantana, and fleeing U.S. for Mexico over Trump — SkimNews
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- Anthony LaPaglia dismisses lingering over missed roles, stating he never grieved more than four hours over any rejection, including not landing Tony Soprano, emphasizing the non-personal nature of casting decisions.
- LaPaglia names Allison Janney, Kerry Armstrong, and Alison Whyte as collaborators he would reassemble for a dream project, praising Janney’s transcendent stage performances in Arthur Miller plays.
- LaPaglia calls Lantana the most fulfilling role of his career, highlighting the script’s precision, his immersive preparation with real Sydney detectives under investigation, and the film’s emotional range.
- LaPaglia criticizes the grueling pace of network TV like Without a Trace, admitting he once acted on autopilot and unnecessarily involved himself in writing revisions, later realizing the show’s success didn’t hinge on his interference.
- LaPaglia reveals he is likely to move to Mexico, not for lifestyle but to avoid anticipated civil unrest tied to Trump’s influence, predicting Trump will prevent a fair election and describing the GOP as sustained only by Trump’s cult of personality.
- LaPaglia shares Spencer Tracy’s advice—'Know your lines and don’t hit the furniture'—as the best he’s ever received, and recalls a memorable New York fan interaction where being loudly hated felt authentic and refreshing.
Why it matters: LaPaglia’s candid reflections reveal the psychological toll of Hollywood’s casting machinery and the rare creative satisfaction found in tightly written, actor-supported projects like *Lantana*, while his political commentary underscores growing unease among public figures about U.S. stability under Trump’s enduring influence—making his personal calculus about relocation a proxy for broader cultural flight.
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