The Sopranos star Michael Imperioli received hundreds of negative comments from people on social media after posting a picture of a much younger Kamala Harris to his Instagram feed with the caption: “I would vote for her based on this photo alone.” Although the initial post has been deleted, likely due to the sheer amount of backlash Imperioli experienced, he has since posted several more pictures of the current Vice President, each one with supportive captions encouraging fans to “vote Kamala.” See his original post below (via the New York Post):
Many Instagram users attacked Imperioli’s choice of presidential nominee, while others criticized the seemingly sexist notion of the post itself (voting for a woman just because she’s attractive), with one fan stating that “looks have nothing to do with political capital.” Some fans also speculated that Imperioli might have been sponsored directly by the Harris campaign, since he tagged Kamala Harris’s official Instagram account in his post. A few comments even attacked Imperioli’s acting career, accusing him of being bought out with the promise of lucrative television and movie roles. As user @thunderlightning007 commented:
“Imperioli has been bought out by the corrupt entities that promise him roles on tv and movies….if he doesn’t go with that they want he will be unemployed….everyone it’s not his fault he has to succumb to the establishment and now he just can’t get out….Mikey if need help give us a sign…us fellow Italians would surely help you out.”
After a few days of intense backlash, Imperioli removed many of these negative comments and restricted users’ ability to add more comments before ultimately deleting the post. However, he returned on Thursday with another post expressing his support for Kamala Harris, and has since added three more posts in favor of the Democratic presidential nominee to his Instagram feed.
A Surprising History of Political Activity
Though many fans felt shocked and betrayed at Imperioli’s pro-Kamala programming, the former Sopranos star has a history of using Instagram to share his opinions on various political topics. In 2020, according to Vanity Fair, Imperioli urged fans via Instagram to vote for President Joe Biden in the upcoming election, while simultaneously criticizing former President Donald Trump. Then, in 2023, Imperioli shared an Instagram post condemning a Supreme Court decision that limited legal protections for same-sex couples, stating that he “decided to forbid bigots and homophobes from watching The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas, or any movie or T.V show [he’s] been in.”
Imperioli’s character in The Sopranos is the stereotypical New Jersey mafioso, but the actor showcases a much different personality offscreen. As Christopher Moltisanti, he is hotheaded and violent, while in reality, Imperioli’s political activism also includes donating to the Harris campaign and promoting COVID-19 safety precautions. However, this contrast seems to have taken many fans by surprise, with some of the negative comments on Imperioli’s political Instagram posts referencing the murder of his Sopranos character by stating that, “Tony Soprano did the right thing.”
Despite fans’ backlash, it seems unlikely that Imperioli will stop producing pro-Kamala content, especially considering the volatile state of the current political climate. As the 2024 presidential election rapidly approaches, more and more celebrities have taken to the Internet to share their frustrations with both sides of the political spectrum. Imperioli is hardly the first Hollywood actor to share his controversial opinions, and he certainly won’t be the last.