John Ventimiglia

PMing you now.

Just mementos from the show. I used one to dress up as Ali G for Halloween one time.

Thanks for the kind words.

1. Yes, they did let me keep a couple of things. The bell that Artie used to ring when the food was ready. A giant wooden spoon. A menu from Vesuvio. The robe Artie was wearing when he shot the rabbit. Four Artie chef jackets. Also, two of Big Pussy's jumpsuits and a red jacket that belonged to Richie.

2. They started about eight days, but towards the end they could take up to two weeks.

3. When Benny shoved Artie's hand in the pot. I did burn my knuckles on the bottom of the pot the first two times. Then they turned the flame off, and used dry ice.

4. Michael Imperioli and I met in acting school when he was 17 and I was 19. We were very close then, and remain close today. Steve Schirrippa and I are very often in touch. Steve Buscemi and I took in a show the other night. Loraine, Tony Scirocco, Aida, etc.. Really, we all have a bond now that will never be forgotten.

5. A lot of eating. There was a group of us that would go out together at night. We went to each others birthday parties, baptisms, funerals.. Some of us got to travel together. We were like a family.

1. I thought it was the first time that you saw someone being killed on film, from the inside. Usually in a ganster film, you see them get shot, fall down and die. In this, we were all such a part of Tony, that in my opinion, David let us be part of Tony's death. Lights out. End of Story.

2. Ponies is a movie about three immigrants that are betting together at an OTB, off-track betting. It's based on a play, and an interesting take on the American Dream. It's an interesting study of the society we find ourselves living in sometimes through well-drawn characters.

Whenever somebody meets me, they usually tell me how much different I am, or how much younger I seem in person. But of course, I posses some of the same qualities as Artie. Basic human things like occasionally short-tempered, occasionally over-dramatic, and a part of me is very traditional. I am, after all, Sicilian.

I created Artie out of a composite of three influences -- 1) The landlord in Godfather II who can't get out the door when he realizes that DeNiro is the Don. 2) One of my uncles. 3) My grandfathers mustache.

Sometimes, Artie wanted what he couldn't have. Mid-Life crisis.

Nobody told me. Not the writers or the producers. I think they wanted to leave it for ourselves. And that was what I decided.

Among the cast, there was a lot debate. Some thought it was a beautiful ending, and some disagreed.

I'm cool with traditions.

http://i.imgur.com/xXybT.jpg

Among many favorite memories, one comes to mind where Tony was meant to slap Artie, and they had a stunt person working with us on how to do a fake slap for the camera. When we took a break, Jimmy and I were having a cigarette, and I turned to him and I said "Why don't you just slap me." And he laughingly said "I knew you were going to fuckin' say that".

Of course, at the time. I didn't take into account how many times he was going to have to slap me -- and his hands are big and heavy. The first time he slapped me, my head bounced off the column in the restaurant. But it was worth it.

1. Yes. My parents are both from Sicily. I grew up helping my mom cook in the kitchen, and when I moved out, she taught me a couple of basic things I need to know...which I still cook for my kids

2. One of my favorites was the food fight that Tony and I had. I hit him with a piece of prosciutto and he hit me with a mozzarella ball, which bounced off my head. From there, it just turned into two kids having a fun food fight.

3. Here's my thoughts on the ending.. The only way I could interpret the ending, is that Tony was shot and killed. After all, he was a human being involved in a business in which this was not an uncommon event. I think that David chose to end it that way, out of some kind of dignity for the character. And also to let us take part in what it's like which I would assume is often instant blackout. It was a clean kill, and for all of us fans, it seemed like a merciful way to say goodbye.