Chris Rock described his crime syndicate boss and businessman character as “Tony Soprano-esque” before the premiere of Fargo season four. To compare an anti-hero in a prestige drama — which Loy Cannon was — to James Gandolfini’s portrayal on The Sopranos has become a cliché. But we’ll forgive Rock because he was offered a role on the HBO series, which he repeatedly declined.
“I assumed he wanted me to host a charity event for his wife or something. It’s a massive job, [Fargo]. And sometimes you admire something so much that you don’t even want to be a part of it,” Rock remarked of meeting Fargo creator Noah Hawley in a roundtable discussion for the Hollywood Reporter. “I got a couple of offers to be on The Sopranos when I had my own show on HBO, and it was at the height of The Sopranos, and I was like, “I enjoy it too much, I don’t want to wreck it.” But I was such a fan of [Fargo] that I accepted the meeting.” Rock took the job because he admired Hawley’s writing for Mike Milligan, Bokeem Woodbine’s “Jabberwocky”-reciting character from season two.
The Chris Rock Show aired from 1997 and 2000, meaning it overlapped with seasons one and two of The Sopranos. It’s a good thing Rock declined the invitation. Otherwise, one of the biggest scenes in the show’s history would have been spoiled for him. I’m, of course, referring to when [cut to black].
