How Viggo Mortensen’s Other Iconic Character Became A Movie Star In Real Life

By TeeJay Small
| Published 17 seconds ago

Sometimes you check out your favorite movies on IMDb and realize that the same great minds are behind everything you love. Other times, you can make surprising behind-the-scenes connections that improve the viewing experience behind movies that you thought were already perfect.

If you’re a fan of the 2018 Best Picture winner Green Book, for instance, I’ve got a fun fact that might just blow your mind. The real-life man Viggo Mortensen portrays in the movie, Tony ‘Lip’ Vallelonga, went on to become an actor himself, starring in several episodes of The Sopranos.

In case you don’t recall, Green Book centers on the true story of Don Shirley’s 1962 concert tour across the deep South. Shirley, a black man, knew that this undertaking could be extremely dangerous and sought to hire a chauffeur with a background in conflict resolution.

After asking around town, he heard about Bronx bouncer Tony Lip, who was out of work while his nightclub underwent significant renovations. As the film shows, Lip was initially hesitant to take the job, though the two grew extremely close over the course of the tour.

By the time the credits roll on Green Book, Tony has effectively invited Dr. Shirley to become a member of his family. The two remained close friends all their lives, even as Tony returned to bouncing at the Copacabana nightclub shortly thereafter. Years later, Tony Lip would meet Francis Ford Coppola and Louis DiGiaimo at that very club. The pair quickly came to admire Vallelonga’s authenticity and hired him in a small, uncredited role in The Godfather.

From there, Tony Lip began taking small roles in numerous films, including Dog Day Afternoon, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, and Donny Brasco. His Italian-American heritage and lived experience as a nightclub bouncer in the Bronx made him an ideal candidate for mob movies, though his most memorable role was on the small screen.

In 2001, Lip began portraying New York mob boss Carmine Lupertazzi Sr. in The Sopranos. The character was known for his shrewd business acumen and ability to carefully speak in code to dodge the feds. Lip’s scenes playing off James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano and Vincent Curatola’s Johnny Sack feature some of the show’s most memorable moments.

Today, both Tony Lip and Dr. Shirley have passed away, but their friendship has been immortalized through Green Book. The fact that Tony went on to act in The Sopranos years down the line may not have a direct effect on the movie, but it may add some color to your viewing experience.

Furthermore, this behind-the-scenes fact reminds us that the era of Jim Crow and segregation is not as distant as we like to remember. It should be jarring that a person could be a grown adult man during that period of American history, and still be alive to perform in a show that ran through 2007.

Unfortunately, Green Book isn’t currently streaming anywhere, but it’s well worth the price to rent or buy a physical copy. All six seasons of The Sopranos are available to stream on HBO Max.