Steve Schirripa Break His Silence After CBS’ Decision To Cancel ‘Blue Bloods’

Steve Schirripa is instantly recognizable — it just depends on which side of the law you know him from.

For some, he’s best known as Bobby “Bacala” Baccalieri from the iconic series “The Sopranos,” which starred James Gandolfini and ran for six seasons on HBO. As Bobby, Schirripa played a likable mobster who rose through the ranks of the organized crime operation to become a top aide to Junior Soprano as well as Tony Soprano’s brother-in-law.

To others, he’s Anthony Abetemarco from “Blue Bloods,” which returns for Season 13 tonight on CBS. As Anthony, Schirripa portrays a retired NYPD detective who now works as an investigator in the District Attorney’s Office alongside ADA Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan), the only daughter of New York City police commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck).

As both, Schirripa is seen as an endearing fan favorite. So during an exclusive interview, Looper couldn’t help but ask him to discuss what each role means to him.

Schirripa ‘had a ball’ filming at the Reagan family dinner table

The Season 12 finale of “Blue Bloods” had you seated at the iconic Reagan family dinner table. What was it like shooting that scene?

That was my first time. It was kind of a big deal to get to the table. Honestly, I never thought it would happen. How are they going to fit that in? I said, “Hey, maybe Anthony’s in the neighborhood. He’s going to bring some cannolis over.” Then when I found out that it was going to happen, I was very flattered.

I had only done one scene with Tom [Selleck] before. Of course, I know him, but it was only my second scene ever with him, and I’ve been on the show since 2015. I came in as a guest star to do one, maybe two episodes, and now I’ve done 113 or something. So I worked with Tom early on, and it was a lot of fun.

They’re used to [sitting at the dinner table], but I thought it was fun. You had all that Italian food. We didn’t eat in the scene, but in the back, they had duplicates of everything. The food came from the Bronx up at Little Italy on Arthur Avenue, where there’s all kinds of great Italian restaurants and delis. [We had] meatballs, braciole, soup and salad, provolone, and the whole platter. It was back in the kitchen, so in between takes, everyone got up and was eating that. I know I was.

I had a ball. I would love to go back. I don’t know if that’ll ever happen, but I liked it. Like I said, I was very flattered to be asked to the dinner table. Not many people besides the Reagans have made it there.

He gets recognized by cops and mobsters all the time

 

This will be your 8th season on the show, yet a lot of people still associate you with your “Sopranos” character. What’s it like being on the other side of the law?

I like it much better. Instead of fat, sweaty guys with cigars coming up to you, now you’ve got fat, sweaty detectives [laughs]. You’ve got different people, and I enjoy it. I really do. I loved every moment of “The Sopranos.” But I went to a Yankees game and a guy showed me his badge. He said, “Could we take a picture? I love what you do on the show.” And I said, “Do you believe me as a detective?” He said, “Absolutely.” So when detectives and cops or police captains say, “I believe every second that you’re playing a police officer,” I like that. That’s the whole point.

Acting — we could get all convoluted, but what is it? It’s, do you believe me as this guy or not? Pretty simple to me. You believe me as a street-smart Italian-American detective who’s been around? I like to hear that. A lot of cops watch the show, and people in law enforcement, which shows you the authenticity and how real the show is.

Same thing on “The Sopranos.” You would come across a lot of mob guys in restaurants in Little Italy and they would say, “Love the show.” I used to have a joke: “Crime was down on Sunday nights because all the mobsters were home watching [‘The Sopranos’].”

I lived in Las Vegas for many years, and I would watch a TV show or movie about Vegas, and five minutes in, I would go, “That would never happen in a million years. I’m out.” So it says a lot about the producers and writers and technical advisors of “Blue Bloods” and how they get it right.

He didn’t want to get pigeonholed playing a mobster

The “Blue Bloods” and “Sopranos” connection runs even deeper than you starring on the series, as “Blue Bloods” was created by two people [Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess] who had a hand in the success of “The Sopranos.” Plus, a few other “Sopranos” actors have been guest stars on the show. Does that connection make you sentimental?

Believe it or not, I couldn’t get on the show when [Green and Burgess] were on the show. I don’t know what that reason was. I know them and like them. I respect them. But for whatever reason, they wouldn’t give me a role. So does it make me sentimental? No.

I ran into them, Mitch and Robin, after I was on the show for about a year. I bumped into them on the street, and they said they liked what I was doing. That was a nice thing to hear. But I couldn’t get on the show for the first six years, and it was a New York show, so I had always thought that was kind of strange. In hindsight, though, it’s a good thing that I didn’t [get on] because it would’ve been one and done. You come in as a guest star and you’re out.