Never Too Late: Dominic Chianese and His Son Bridge Generations Through Podcasting

For nearly a century, Dominic Chianese has been collecting stories.

Some have been told on a stage. Others have unfolded on movie screens and television sets. Some have been carried through music, while others have been passed from one generation to another.

Now, at 95, the celebrated actor, singer, and musician is sharing those stories in a very different way—with his son, Dominic Chianese Jr., behind a microphone.

The father-and-son duo is launching a new podcast on September 1, bringing together entertainment, New York City history, family, music, acting, community service, and, perhaps most importantly, their relationship.

The podcast will also welcome guests with something meaningful to contribute- whether through their talents, their experiences with Chianese, or their service to their communities.

It is a fitting next chapter for Dominic Chianese Sr., whose own life has been filled with unforgettable memories and an abiding connection to New York.

Now, through this podcast, those experiences will help bridge the entertainer’s world with that of his son, Dominic Chianese Jr., who has built a life centered on service and helping others. But his artistic side is equally important to understanding who he is. During our conversation, Jr. shared his experiences as a performer, explaining that he began in comedy and has pursued acting, writing, and other creative endeavors. His first love, however, was drawing.

That creative spirit is another thread connecting father and son. Chianese Sr. spent his life bringing characters to life through acting and expressing himself through music, while Jr. has developed his own artistic voice through performance, comedy, writing, and visual art.

The podcast brings those worlds together—not only as father and son, but as two artists from different generations with a shared desire to connect with people.

It becomes an opportunity to inspire, connect, and remind listeners that a life well lived is ultimately measured not only by what we accomplish, but by what we give to others.

It was an honor to sit down with them both and hear about their exciting next venture.

A Career Built on Character

Many viewers know Chianese Sr. best as Corrado “Junior” Soprano, Tony Soprano’s uncle on HBO’s landmark series The Sopranos. The role made him a household name and earned him an Emmy nomination, as well as recognition from the Screen Actors Guild.

Chianese’s career stretches back decades before he became Uncle Junior. Born in the Bronx on February 24, 1931, Chianese graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and later attended Brooklyn College. He did extensive stage work before establishing himself in film and television.

His film credits include some of the most recognizable movies of the 1970s and beyond. He played Johnny Ola in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II and appeared in Dog Day Afternoon, All the President’s Men, ...And Justice for All, Fort Apache, the Bronx, Q&A, Unfaithful, and The Public Eye, among many others.

His television career has been equally varied. Beyond The Sopranos, Chianese appeared in Law & Order, Damages, Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, The Village, and Boardwalk Empire, where he portrayed Leander Cephas Whitlock.

For audiences, however, Uncle Junior remains one of his most unforgettable creations. The character could be funny, intimidating, vulnerable, and deeply human, sometimes within the same scene. Chianese’s performance demonstrated the range of an actor who had spent decades mastering his craft.

And that experience is now becoming part of the education his son receives firsthand.

“I Still Have a Lot to Learn From My Dad”

For Chianese Jr., working on the podcast has revealed something unexpected: there are still stories about his father that he never knew. Asked what he’s discovered through the interviews, Jr. laughed and acknowledged that he still has plenty to learn. “There are a couple of stories that I knew nothing about,” he said.

The conversations have also taught him something less tangible.

“I’m taught patience daily,” he said, adding that he is also learning “how to relax in the process.”

That exchange captures something special about the podcast. Listeners may tune in because they recognize the name Dominic Chianese, but they may stay because they are witnessing a relationship unfold.

A Bond That Came Later in Life

Perhaps the most poignant part of the conversation came when Chianese Sr. reflected on his relationship with his son. He acknowledged that after divorcing his son’s mother when Jr. was young, he missed some of the ordinary experiences of fatherhood. “I never read bedtime stories,” he said. But time, he explained, has created another opportunity.

The podcast allows father and son to bond “at another level” in their mature years.

“It’s never too late,” he said.

Those words may ultimately become one of the podcast’s themes. It isn’t simply about looking backward at a legendary career. It is about discovering that relationships can keep growing, even decades later.

The podcast also promises to preserve something that both men know intimately: New York City. For Chianese Sr., the Bronx of his youth was a very different place from the city his son experienced.

During one episode, Jr. learned more about his father’s childhood in the Bronx, including stories about growing up a block from school.

“I’m talking pre-war,” Jr. remarked, acknowledging how difficult it is for someone of his generation to imagine the world his father knew.

The Chianeses aren’t simply discussing the past. They let listeners hear history through personal memory.

Beyond Acting: A Life of Service Through Music

While Chianese Sr. is celebrated internationally for his acting, his connection to music reveals another side of his life. He spoke about spending years performing in nursing homes and senior centers, particularly working with people living with dementia.

“I would sing to them,” he explained. “That was my true calling.”

For Chianese, music wasn’t merely entertainment. It was a way to reach people. He recalled one woman named Anna who lived in a nursing home. Although she struggled to remember where she was, Chianese discovered that music could unlock memories. He played a single note on the guitar, and Anna began singing an entire song.

Chianese explained that people with dementia may still remember song lyrics even when other memories become difficult to access.

His philosophy about performance came through strongly as well. An entertainer, he emphasized, shouldn’t simply show off their talent or allow ego to take over. The real purpose is connecting with the audience.

That philosophy seems to extend beyond the stage and into the podcast itself.

The Chianeses aren’t creating a platform simply to talk about celebrities. They are creating a space for meaningful stories—stories from artists, performers, community members, and everyday people whose experiences, talents, and acts of service can inspire others.

For both father and son, service has been woven into their lives in different ways. Whether through art, music, performance, or giving back to the community, both have found purpose in using their talents to connect with and help others.

Three Generations, One Artistic Family

The conversation eventually turned from career accomplishments to family.

When asked what he considers his greatest accomplishment, Chianese Sr. didn’t name a movie, television role, or award.

He named his children.

He said he was fortunate to have “such beautiful children” and spoke about continuing to honor and respect their mothers.

Chianese Jr. offered his own answer, saying that raising his son, Dominic III, as a decent young man was his greatest accomplishment.

Dominic III, 17, is also a musician, carrying the family’s artistic spirit into another generation. In that sense, the podcast becomes a real-time family archive.

Never Too Late

As our interview came to a close, Chianese Sr. left us with a simple yet powerful message:

“It is never too late.”

Never too late to ask your parents questions.

Never too late to learn something new about your family.

Never too late to reconnect.

Never too late to tell a story.

And never too late to begin another chapter.

For Dominic Chianese, the man who spent decades bringing fictional characters to life, this new project offers something perhaps even more personal.

This time, a screenwriter isn’t writing the story.

A father and son are telling it.

The show premieres on YouTube at 7 p.m. ET on September 1. You can also catch Dominic Chianese Sr. in Season 3 of Gravesend as Mario Avino, coming soon to Amazon Prime.