'Sopranos' star Joe Pantoliano plans to leave US as he feels 'uncomfortable' under Trump administration
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: ‘Sopranos’ alum Joe Pantoliano is the most recent celebrity to consider leaving the United States after President Donald Trump's return to the White House.
The 73-year-old New Jersey native, who portrayed the role of Ralph "Ralphie" Cifaretto in 21 episodes of the HBO drama, recently hinted that he and his wife, actress Nancy Sheppard, have been planning to permanently relocate to Portugal due to his growing unease with the current political climate, the Daily Mail reported.
If Pantoliano decides to upend his American life, he will join the growing list of celebrities, including Rosie O’Donnell, Richard Gere, Ellen DeGeneres, and her wife Portia de Rossi, who left the US after Trump’s 2024 election win.
Joe Pantoliano says he wants to 'run for the hills' amid the country's uncomfortable political climate
The ‘Matrix’ star opened up about his plan to move abroad as he gave his insight into the current political climate at the premiere of Stanley Tucci’s food and travel show ‘Tucci in Italy’ in New York City.
Pantoliano didn’t name Trump as his reason for the potential move, but told Page Six, “I’m so uncomfortable with the nature of what’s happening in our country, and I just want to run for the hills.”
He further continued, “It’s hard for me to think about people’s bulls*** like making a TV show. The world is on fire, it’s hard for me to concentrate.”
He then shared that he and his wife, whom he married in 1994, had recently returned from a vacation in Portugal and debated permanently moving there.
"We just got back. We really love it there," he gushed about the country, before raising concern over Portugal's recent 18-hour power outage, which he suspects was the result of a "cyber attack."
“They just got hit with a cyber attack,” he said, before adding, “And I think that’s just a rehearsal for what will happen here (in the United States).”
Concerned about the collapse of society, Pantoliano claimed to have "a lot of cash at home, not a lot but enough to get me going for a couple of weeks." However, the actor joked that the amount wasn't easy to find as it's "buried and there's no map."
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Joe Pantoliano blasts Donald Trump just days before announcing plan to leave US
Joe Pantoliano’s plan to move abroad came just a few years after he voiced his concerns over "scumbags" like Donald Trump idolizing antiheroes such as Tony Soprano.
“What always upset me was that the majority of the audience didn’t get the genius of David Chase, and what David Chase was saying about these monsters,” he told the Independent in 2021 while promoting Sean Cisterna’s movie ‘From the Vine’.
He added, “Tony Soprano becomes a hero when he’s a broken-down gangster and a murderer. Scumbags like Trump and Roger Stone, all these white-collar criminals, continue to be quoted as using The Godfather and The Sopranos as a blueprint for being d*****bags! I mean, how f***ed up is that?”
Celebrities who left the US after Donald Trump’s election win
If he leaves the country for Europe, the 'Bad Boys' actor and his wife will be among a slew of celebrities who fled the US after Donald Trump’s 2024 election win.
Comedian Rosie O’Donnell confirmed that she and her 12-year-old child, Clay, moved to Ireland in January.
"I was never someone who thought I would move to another country, that's what I decided would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child. And here we are," she said in a TikTok video in March.
Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, also moved to the English countryside in 2024.
Trump critic Richard Gere and his wife Alejandra are also relocating to Spain so that she can be closer to her family, the New York Post reported.
Kurt Cobain’s widow Courtney Love also announced that she is permanently moving to the UK while appearing at an event in London.
'Suits' star Gabriel Macht also announced in January that he, his wife Jacinda Barrett, and their two children have left the US, but refused to reveal where they have relocated to.
