Drea de Matteo Regrets Adriana's Fate on The Sopranos

Drea de Matteo's Breakout Role as Adriana on The Sopranos

Drea de Matteo had a breakout role as Adriana La Cerva, longtime girlfriend of Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli), on the hit HBO series The Sopranos. Her performance as the aspiring fashion designer turned FBI informant received widespread praise. Many fans consider Adriana to be one of the most complex and tragic characters on the show.

Adriana's Tumultuous Relationship with Christopher

Adriana stands by Christopher even as he descends further into a life of crime and substance abuse. De Matteo brings to life Adriana's fierce loyalty and personal struggles. Their dysfunctional relationship takes a heavy emotional toll on Adriana over the show's five seasons.

As Christopher rises up the ranks to become a made man, the danger increases for Adriana. She desperately wants Christopher to turn his life around before it is too late. This tension culminates in one of the show's most heartbreaking scenes when Adriana confesses to Christopher that she has been working with the FBI.

The FBI Pressures Adriana into Becoming an Informant

Unbeknownst to her loved ones, Adriana gets manipulated by the FBI to provide information about Soprano family activities. She turns over information related to the murder of a Colombian drug dealer and a string of murders committed by Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano).

The FBI agents prey upon Adriana's vulnerabilities and make veiled threats regarding possible criminal charges against her for cocaine distribution. Afraid of jeopardizing her future marriage plans, Adriana reluctantly cooperates, convinced she can avoid directly incriminating Christopher.

Drea De Matteo's Thoughts on Adriana's Fate

In the episode "Long Term Parking," Adriana's worst fears come true. After Christopher discovers she has been talking to the FBI, he comes up with a plan to lure Adriana to her death under the pretense they will enter the witness protection program.

The iconic final scene shows the car stopping in the woods. The audience realizes Adriana's ultimate and tragic fate. When asked years later if she thought Adriana deserved her end, Drea de Matteo replied, "Yes, I believe so 100 percent." Though devastating for fans, De Matteo believes Adriana sealed her fate when she made the "huge mistake" of trusting the FBI.

De Matteo's Least Favorite Adriana Scene

In an exclusive interview about her time on the New Jersey mob drama, Drea de Matteo revealed her least favorite Adriana scene. In season 4, Adriana comes close to confessing her dealings with the FBI to Carmela Soprano (Edie Falco) during a trip to a nail salon. At the last second, she pulls back, leaving Carmela confused and suspicious.

De Matteo believes Adriana should have confessed everything right then to Carmela. Though Carmela led an extravagant lifestyle funded by Tony's criminal activities, she likely would have understood Adriana's predicament. This may have spared Adriana's life and given her a way out from under the FBI's thumb.

Drea de Matteo's Diverse Acting Roles

In addition to winning an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2004, Drea de Matteo has shown her incredible range across many television shows and films.

Supporting Roles in Hit Series

After The Sopranos ended, De Matteo played the sister of Detective Joey Quinn on Showtime's Dexter. She also portrayed a medical marijuana dispensary owner in the FX biker drama Sons of Anarchy.

Diverse Film Projects

On the film side, De Matteo has appeared in projects ranging from the horror-comedy Assault on Precinct 13 to Martin Scorsese's family fantasy Hugo. She brought her trademark Jersey edge to the 2015 indie crime drama Dark Places starring Charlize Theron.

Most recently, fans spotted Drea de Matteo in a amusing cameo in 2021's House of Gucci alongside Lady Gaga and Adam Driver. She continues pursuing interesting new projects highlighting her versatility and screen presence.

Though Adriana's storyline came to a tragic conclusion, Drea de Matteo brought humanity, vulnerability and strength to the iconic character. Her riveting portrayal remains etched in television history. Fans hope to see de Matteo take on more standout roles in films or streaming series worthy of her immense talent.

FAQs

How did Drea de Matteo get discovered for her role as Adriana?

Drea de Matteo was relatively unknown as an actress when she landed the career-making role of Adriana on The Sopranos. She had been working as a waitress in New York City when she decided to start going on auditions. The Sopranos casting directors saw something special in her authentic New Jersey attitude and cast her as Christopher Moltisanti’s girlfriend.

What has Drea de Matteo done since appearing on The Sopranos?

After winning an Emmy for her acclaimed performance as Adriana, Drea de Matteo went on to land prominent supporting roles in other hit series like Desperate Housewives, Sons of Anarchy, Shameless and Luther. On the film side, she has appeared in movies such as Swordfish, Assault on Precinct 13 and Dark Places.

Did Drea de Matteo and other Sopranos cast members keep in touch?

Though The Sopranos ended filming in 2007, Drea de Matteo has remained close friends with former co-stars like Michael Imperioli who played Christopher Moltisanti. They have toured together making public appearances to speak about their time acting together on the iconic mob drama series.

What does Drea de Matteo think should have happened instead of Adriana’s death?

Reflecting years later on her character’s tragic demise, Drea de Matteo expressed regret over a season 4 scene. She believes Adriana should have confessed the truth about being an FBI informant to Carmela Soprano when she had the chance at a nail salon. This may have saved Adriana’s life by getting help instead of continuing to cooperate in secret.