Silvio on 'The Sopranos'

[Brian Damage]

STEVEN Van Zandt, the guitar legend who plays Tony Soprano's right hand man, Silvio Dante, hints that a wave of extreme violence is about to rock the final three episodes of "The Sopranos."

"If they were ever considering the idea of doing a ['Sopranos'] movie, let's just say it would need to be a prequel," Van Zandt told The Post.

Van Zandt, 56, is also known as Little Steven from his days with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. He says he was approached by "Sopranos" creator David Chase about 10 years ago to play the level-headed Mafioso - even though he had absolutely no acting experience.

"I guess he saw something in me," Van Zandt says. Silvio's recognizable expression, a curled lower-lip frown, was something Van Zandt came up with himself.

"I did everything I could from the outside in to transform myself," he says. "I didn't want anybody to look at the show and say, 'I saw that guy playing Indianapolis once.' That included a facial transformation. I didn't want him smiling the same way I smile. I didn't want anything the same."

He says he gained at least 50 lbs. for the role. "I was thin my whole life, so when you gain weight, your whole thing changes, you walk differently, you talk differently, you think differently. It's a big transformation. I wanted to look in a mirror and see someone else. I knew if I could see him [Silvio], I could be him."

Van Zandt says he plans to work with a trainer at least twice a day now to try and drop the weight. "I gained a bunch of weight which now I gotta lose before I get back on stage - hopefully Bruce [Springsteen] won't move too fast," he jokes.

While he's not ruling out acting again, Van Zandt says he plans to focus mainly on music. He oversees two channels on Sirius satellite radio and is the executive producer of the round-table talk radio program, "The Wiseguy Show," which is moderated by his old "Sopranos" colleague, Vincent "Big *****" Pastore.

[Janice]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

STEVEN Van Zandt, the guitar legend who plays Tony Soprano's right hand man, Silvio Dante, hints that a wave of extreme violence is about to rock the final three episodes of "The Sopranos."

"If they were ever considering the idea of doing a ['Sopranos'] movie, let's just say it would need to be a prequel," Van Zandt told The Post.

Wow, there's a clue if I ever saw one. I've been thinking that the main characters would be spared because I've heard rumors of a movie. Now, I'm not so sure, lol.

Good article Brian. Thanks for posting it.

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by Janice

Wow, there's a clue if I ever saw one. I've been thinking that the main characters would be spared because I've heard rumors of a movie. Now, I'm not so sure, lol.

Good article Brian. Thanks for posting it.

I am surprised he would get into so much detail about the final episodes. Either Phil Leotardo and the NYC crew are going to whack the NJ crew or Van Zandt is trying to throw off everybody to the scent.