Featured Image Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor/HBO
Topics: Film and TV, Celebrity, Politics
Tom Wood
Topics: Film and TV, Celebrity, Politics
Michael Imperioli - a star of The Sopranos, Goodfellas, and The White Lotus - has forbidden ‘bigots and homophobes’ from watching any of his shows in an angry reaction to a recent Supreme Court verdict.
The USA’s highest court ruled on Friday (30 June) in favour of a fundamental Christian web designer who refuses to create websites for people having same-sex marriages.
So, Imperioli has decided that he is now going to ‘discriminate’ against people who he ‘doesn’t agree with’ by forbidding them from watching his shows.
The actor sarcastically wrote: “I’ve decided to forbid bigots and homophobes from watching The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas or any movie or TV show I’ve been in.
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“Thank you Supreme Court for allowing me to discriminate and exclude those who I don’t agree with and am opposed to. USA! USA!”
As we’ve mentioned, he’s clearly joking here.
Even the most earnest person going would struggle not to recognise that as sarcasm.
The 57-year-old then shared a picture of a headline about the story, reading: “Supreme Court protects web designer who won’t do gay wedding websites.”
The Supreme Court’s decision, which took place at the very end of Pride Month, saw the court vote 6-3 in favour of Lorie Smith, who is a Colorado-based web designer who won’t create for same-sex marriages because of religious reasons.
The court also recently brought down race-based affirmative action in college admissions, leading to further criticism from parties on the left of US politics.
In the comments of his Instagram post, Imperioli wrote: “Hate and ignorance is not a legitimate point of view.”
He had previously posted celebrating Pride Month, sharing a post on 24 June that said: “HAPPY PRIDE 2023! much love to all… stay strong, be fearless, be proud. and make sure to register to VOTE so we can get the bigots out of office!”
Imperioli has had a long career in TV and film, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in The Sopranos.
As well as Martin Scorsese’s Goodfella, he’s also had a number of roles in films like The Lovely Bones, Bad Boys, Shark Tale, and The Basketball Diaries.
He reprised the role of Moltisanti - or at least using his voice - in The Many Saints of Newark in 2021.
Imperioli has been married to Victoria Chlebowski since 1996.
The pair have three children together, and homes in both Manhattan, New York City, and Santa Barbara, California.
Imperioli became a Buddhist in 2008.