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Saunders prepared for his cameo by putting "some extra olive oil" in his hair, so that it stayed slicked back. Ray Amati/NBAE/Getty Images |
Saunders is good friends with Steve Schirripa, who plays Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri. The two met when Saunders was the trainer at John Jay College and Schirippa played for the school's basketball team. The Buzz recently had a sit-down with The Sopranos' newest “made” man.
Q: Which episode of The Sopranos do you make your cameo?
Saunders: I hear it’s the fifth or sixth episode. I have been keeping the storyline a secret, but I can tell you I was in the Bada Bing and Steve Buscemi (Tony Blundetto) is in the scene along with James Gandolfini (Tony), John Ventimiglia (Artie Bucco) and Steven Van Zandt (Silvio Dante).
Q: That’s not a bad group to appear with in a scene.
Saunders: Yeah, and years of research helped me with my role. I’m just joking. I’m probably one of the few people who have probably never been in a strip club and that is the truth. It was a stretch for me as an actor.
Q: Was this your first walk-on role?
Saunders: I’m not sure because I have been on movie sets as an athletic trainer and I was in a scene in He Got Game and have been on the big screen when movies use Knick footage, so I guess you could say I am a veteran.
Q: Any Oscar nominations yet?
Saunders: No, but I do practice my acceptance speech.
Q: Talk about Steve Schirripa’s game at John Jay College.
Saunders: Understand that Steve was a lot, lot lighter back then. They enhance his girth a bit on The Sopranos. He was a nice player with a soft touch. To this day he comes up to the practice site and shoots around with the fellas, and when I say "shoot around" I mean basketball.
Q: Are you a big Sopranos fan?
Saunders: I am a big fan and really looked forward to the start of the new season. Everybody was just chomping at the bit -- the Knick players and everyone -- to get some new episodes. The show is so well acted, so well scripted. Nothing goes to ad-lib, everything is well rehearsed and right by the script, down to the choreographed dancers at the ‘Bing. I have tremendous respect for everybody on the set, top to bottom. They are very professional and very well prepared.
Q: Do you have a favorite episode?
Saunders: I like them all. There is certainly drama but also something very humorous involved in the show. The episode with Christopher’s intervention that got out of control, that was hilarious. The Russian in the forest was a good episode. I like them all.
Q: If you were one of Tony’s “made” men, who would you be and why?
Saunders: I would like to be Silvio. I like the hair, and he doesn’t seem to be involved in any of the muscle stuff. I’m not a violent guy. The closest I get to violence is when I go to a restaurant and order a broken leg of lamb. I think Silvio is a cool guy both in and out of character, plus working at the Bada Bing is not a bad gig.
Q: What did you do to prepare for the role?
Saunders: I wore a dark suit and dark shirt, like they instructed. I usually have my hair slicked back, but I put some extra olive oil in it that night to make sure it stays back.
Q: How was the experience?
Saunders: I might have to get TiVo so I don’t miss myself. It was a great experience and I really enjoyed being on the set. You learn a lot and have tremendous respect for the actors, directors and all. It was a lot of fun. I need to talk to Schirripa and see if I can do it again next year. I may even join the Screen Actors Guild, join the union and get a bigger part. I did it as a lark and not some fulfillment of an acting bug. I think I would be a terrible actor, to be honest with you.
