The Inspiration For Tony Soprano Was Apparently A Real Guy Named, We Promise, Toby Soprano

In what has to be the most earth-shattering revelation in the history of television, The Sopranos creator David Chase has stated — out loud, on the record — that Tony Soprano was inspired by an actual person named, no joke… Toby Soprano. In a wide-ranging interview following the success of The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel film to the hit HBO series, Chase nonchalantly admitted to the real-life inspiration for one of the greatest TV characters of all time. Via The Hollywood Reporter:

Your father’s business partner had a kid who you knew, who was your age, I believe.

Yeah.

And he had a cousin. Who was that

Toby Soprano.

This is where the Soprano name came from

Right, yeah. But I don’t know that Toby was connected. He might have been, I don’t know. He had a Cadillac.

Despite the interview being over two days old, people on social media are just finding out about Toby Soprano, and needless to say, it is absolutely blowing their minds right out of their skulls. Maybe we’re overselling this here, but just think about it for a minute. Tony Soprano is based on a real-life person named Toby Soprano who used to own a Cadillac. Clearly, this is bigger than Watergate.

— regan (@creepeffect) November 4, 2021

Losing my mind that David Chase named Tony Soprano after some kid he vaguely knew called *Toby* Soprano who might have been in the mob just because he had a Cadillac.

TV writing really is just riffing off rumours about acquaintances then changing one letter to get away with it. https://t.co/NGBYJBUnFW pic.twitter.com/PWZ5AA0lnN

— Elaine Scattermoon (@scattermoon) November 4, 2021

Living through a global pandemic that lead into a global financial crisis then finding out the idea for Tony Sopranos name was based on a real person named Toby Soprano pic.twitter.com/6XJNusR5It

— Seth Vargas (@ohsethy) November 4, 2021

reading this feels like a fucking fever dream when the interviewer just keeps asking more pointed questions about chase taking names for characters from italian people he knew growing up. i lost my fucking mind when chase admitted to knowing a "toby soprano" when he was younger https://t.co/M7ty1Oa9tF

— Anarcho Kabbalah w/ Temporarily Logan Chrctrstcs (@majordanby1) November 4, 2021

The creator knew a guy named Toby Soprano, that's where the name came from. Imagine if he hadn't changed Toby to Tony. That would've been wild, following the exploits of mob boss Toby Soprano. Silvio calling him "Tobe" for short. "That's the guy I went to hell for, my uncle Toby" https://t.co/avfm0NZ5Wm

— Z (@ZekeThePlumbr) November 4, 2021

This is like finding out George Lucas had a neighbor named GARTH VADER https://t.co/hGIE5A3l2O

— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) November 4, 2021

Of course, now the real question is whether or not The Sopranos is garbage for not sticking with Toby Soprano. Do we throw the whole show out now Toss it right in the trash heap There are no easy answers here.