From the rough streets of ‘The Sopranos‘ to the Upper West Side, actor Michael Imperioli has come a long way. In a rather rare venture, Imperioli started a new resto-bar with his wife Victoria, and restaurateur Jeremy Wladis.
The actor dived into the world of hospitality as he launched the new bar and restaurant called Scarlet located at 468 Amsterdam Ave., at the corner of 83rd Street. Renowned for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in ‘The Sopranos’, the actor opened up about his new restaurant and gave his fans a sneak peek into it.
Related: Is Harry Styles In The Third Season Of ‘The White Lotus’?
What’s The Inspiration Behind The Foundation Of Scarlet?
In an interview with Page Six, Michael Imperioli said that he got the inspiration to start Scarlet after he and his wife Victoria returned to New York City from the West Coast, where they had been residing for several years.
The actor currently resides in the neighborhood of the area where the restaurant is and visits the place frequently. The 57-year-old actor is spotted at least a couple of times a week there. Some of his ‘Sopranos‘ co-actors, including Steve Schirripa and Kathrine Narducci, have also paid a visit to the resto-bar.
Interestingly, the menu at Scarlet boasts a cocktail named after Imperioli’s recent HBO hit series, ‘The White Lotus’. While speaking with Page Six, Imperioli said though he is a celebrity, he had to go through the process of obtaining a liquor license and the bureaucratic hurdles.
“I’ll be honest with you,” he said, “Sometimes being a celebrity can really grease the wheels of a certain kind of system. And sometimes it can really get in the way. Some people might not like it. It can always go either way,” he said.
In case you missed it: Lukas Gage Marries Chris Appleton: Relationship Timeline Of ‘The White Lotus’ Star And Kim Kardashian’s Hair Stylist
Michael Imperioli Is Balancing Acting And Hospitality Business
Speaking about his career, Imperioli mentioned how he started with the production of ‘Goodfellas‘ in 1989, and his latest project was ‘The White Lotus‘ released in 2022. Apart from his acting career, he has also ventured into hospitality once before. He previously ran the Chelsea hotspot Ciel Rouge.
“Considering ‘Goodfellas’ was shot in ’89 and ‘White Lotus’ was on last year, 2022 —that’s a long stretch. And to be able to do stuff that’s of high quality that really connects with people is a privilege, really,” he said.
Imperioli’s next on-stage appearance will be an Ibsen classic production, ‘An Enemy of the People’, alongside HBO alum Jeremy Strong from ‘Succession‘ and Victoria Pedretti from ‘You’.
You might also like to read: Which Character Does Jennifer Aniston Want To Play In ‘The White Lotus’?
