The one real ‘Sopranos’ cast member they found at NJ open call

Anyone who has ever been an actor understands the chances of being cast in an open call. It’s like being a needle in a haystack. An open casting call is also referred to as a cattle call since you can be sure to find hundreds if not thousands of actors, and wannabe actors, vying for stardom.

That was the case at 'The Sopranos' casting call where Denise Borino-Quinn was discovered and eventually cast as Ginny Sacrimoni, or Ginny Sack, the wife of mobster Johnny Sacrimoni, played by Vince Curatola.

Denise, a Roseland native, was an office manager at a law firm when she decided to accompany a friend who wanted to audition at the open call in July 2000 in Harrison.

She was one of seven people cast from that open call but the only one who received a recurring role. According to an article on NewJerseyHills.com.

Although she got to the audition at 7:30 in the morning, she actually never got in. So many people showed up that they actually had to close the casting call due to the traffic problems that the crowds caused in Hudson County town.

She mailed in her photo and promptly forgot about it. A month later, she received a call from the Casting office asking her to come in and read for them. They thought her look was right for the part and they were correct.

Many people don’t realize that Borino-Quinn was outfitted with a fat suit to look heavier than she actually was in real life. She was also fitted with a teased wig and violet contact lenses to have more of an “Elizabeth Taylor look,” according to the piece.

Denise Borino Quinn appeared in 17 episodes of "The Sopranos" and was a beloved character.

Sadly, she died of liver cancer in 2010 at the age of 46.

RIP Denise. And Ginny Sack.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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