Edie Falco eyes life after "Sopranos"

[Brian Damage]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - As she finishes up a role that made her a household name, Edie Falco ponders a world without Carmela Soprano and her next step.

Falco spoke to Reuters about the sadness that swept the set as the acclaimed mob drama "The Sopranos" prepared to end its HBO run in early June. The first of the final nine episodes of "The Sopranos" aired on Sunday:

Q: How's the mood with the cast, as you wrap things up?


A: "We're getting pretty darn close, and things are getting a little heavy, for a bunch of emotional Italians, we're definitely feeling it ... I've been surprised by the reaction of some of the harder-core crew members, who are suddenly turning out to be softies when all is said in done."

Q: Let me ask you about the character you portray, she's kind of a co-conspirator.

A: "Of course she is ... she's not a victim here. She knew exactly what she was signing up for when she was in her teens, you know, so none of this is surprising to her. There's nothing about her I find difficult at this point, as she is sort of an alter ego, I've been doing it so long."

Q: What similarities are there between you and the character?

A: "I think we're both type-A personalities ... we're in charge. We're out there getting things done, ambitious in a way, in so far as taking care of things around you, and she doesn't sit around waiting for people to do stuff, and neither do I. I kind of take care of stuff."

Q: After playing the character for so long, does that affect how you behave or come across.

A: "I don't think so, no. I think Carmella exists under very specific circumstances, like in that house where we shoot at, with her finger nails on and her jewelry. She just doesn't pop out in the middle of my apartment here."

Q: Is there any kind of broad theme that is addressed in the remaining episodes?


A: "Even if I could answer that question, I couldn't. I'm just the worst person in the world with that stuff ... I just don't have a perspective on it in that regard. I'm too close to it, you know. If I was a somewhat distanced viewer, I think I would have a better sense of that ... that's the God's honest truth."

Q: What's on the horizon for you after Sopranos?

A: "I really, really love to work. I'm one of the people in the world who found out at some point what I love to do and I've been given the opportunity to do it and I'm beside myself with gratitude and excitement about it ... ... I'm ready to work. I'm looking at a bunch of stuff now which is sort of exciting, and who the hell knows."

Q: Are you sad the show is ending?


A: "My sadness about leaving the show is surprisingly profound, but rivaled only by excitement about the next chapter, whatever that is. I absolutely love these people. I love these people, the people I work with, cast and crew ... but I have to kind of face the fact that this really is pretend, and that this really is a job and that this is something that ends and you walk away and move on to another one."

Reuters/Nielsen