‘Sopranos’ star Michael Imperioli defends ex-Smith’s frontman Morrissey
Michael Imperioli, who is best known for his role in the iconic HBO crime series The Sopranos, has defended the musician Morrissey in a new statement.
The former frontman of the Smiths, Morrissey has come under fire in recent years for his right-wing views and comments that many have deemed to be racist. As a result, the fanbase for the artist has long been split, with many prepared to defend the musician, whilst others can’t see past his volatile political opinions.
In a new interview with The Guardian, Imperioli came out in defence of Morrissey, stating: “I’m not sure how racist the things he said were…To me they weren’t flagrantly racist. I’ve never met Morrissey but I do know a lot of people in the current band and people who have played with him in the past who are very smart, and the least racist people you could imagine. They adamantly express that racism is not a part of who he is, by any stretch of the imagination”.
Continuing, he adds: “I still give him the benefit of the doubt. I know a lot of people don’t, but somehow I still do. As an artist, considering what he’s done, he should always have the advantages of having a label promoting him”.
When it comes to the music and artistry of the late 20th-century cultural icon, Imperioli also admired: “As a lyricist, he’s on the level of Bob Dylan and Lou Reed to me: his intelligence, his wit and point of view…I think that’s why so many people connect to him, people who feel like outsiders. When they hear his lyrics and see him perform, they feel less alone in the world. I didn’t discover the Smiths until after I was finished with high school. I was very clueless musically. But when I was 17, I was in Manhattan and I had friends who quickly exposed me to the good stuff like the Smiths”.
Imperioli starred as Christopher Moltisanti in The Sopranos, starring alongside the likes of Drea de Matteo, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Steven Van Zandt, Tony Sirico and the late James Gandolfini.
Take a listen to Morrissey in the classic song ‘Everyday is Like Sunday’, below.
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