Cristin Milioti is an American actress and singer, mostly known for her portrayal of Tracy in How I Met Your Mother. Since her role as the mother in the iconic sitcom, she’s continued to play some legendary characters, like Sofia Falcone in The Batman spinoff series, The Penguin. She starred in two episodes of the anthology series Black Mirror, was a great character in the Fargo television series, and popped up in other movies soon after. While her career started with her as an underrated actress, she’s recently climbed to popularity. Before the bigger breakthroughs in her career, however, she had a role in one of HBO’s most popular crime series, The Sopranos.
The Sopranos has always been known for its ability to introduce new characters out of the blue. While some were harder to believe, like Ralph Cifaretto, others were away in prison or just extensions of the main character’s family members. The creators typically aim for organic ways to create new characters, which furthered the authenticity of the show overall. In The Sopranos Season 6, the series was closing off many storylines, one of those being Johnny “Sack” Sacrimoni’s arc. Sack had been arrested in the final season, with his family visiting him in jail and during his trials. Cristin Milioti’s role in The Sopranos was related to that character arc.
Who Did Cristin Milioti Play in The Sopranos Season 6?
Cristin Milioti Played Catherine Sacrimoni, Johnny “Sack” Sacrimoni’s Other Daughter
The Sopranos featured a rivalry between two of the mafia families, the DiMeos and the Lupertazzis. They had mostly worked in harmony together for years, cutting one another in on money-making opportunities. Despite that, they would occasionally end up at odds with one another. As Carmine, the leader of the Lupertazzi family, got older, Johnny Sack slowly took control. After Carmine chose not to sanction a hit on Ralph Cifaretto, something Johnny took as a horrendous betrayal, things were never the same between them.
They played nice for a while, but Johnny continued to seize power, especially after Carmine passed away from a stroke. When Lupertazzi member Phil Leotardo comes out of prison, he quickly furthers the conflict between rival mob families. After several hits orchestrated by the Lupertazzi’s, Tony Soprano’s cousin, Tony Blundetto, tried to assassinate Phil Leotardo and his brother. He was only half successful in his endeavors, killing Phil’s brother, which led to a mini-war between the two mob families.
Tony takes it upon himself to kill his cousin and squarely reintroduce peace between the mob families. When Tony goes to Johnny’s home to do everything right, the FBI swarms Johnny’s home, arresting him. When Johnny appears in prison in “Mr. and Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request…,” Cristin Milioti appears as Catherine Sacrimoni for the first time, with the rest of Johnny’s family. In an interview with Backstage, Cristin Milioti said:
“I had just dropped out of college… I remember auditioning—I was really nervous, it was one of my first auditions… and she [Georgianne Walken] sent me on this random audition for “The Sopranos,” and I was so nervous, and I got called back, and I auditioned for Steve Buscemi, who directed the episode I was in.”
How Many Episodes in The Sopranos Season 6 Did Cristin Milioti Appear in?
Cristin Milioti Starred in Three Major Johnny Sack Episodes in Season 6 of The Sopranos
In Milioti’s first appearance, she’s smoking a cigarette just like Johnny Sack would do throughout The Sopranos. At the beginning of “Mr. and Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request…,” the family is discussing the complications of planning a wedding for Allegra, Sack’s other daughter, and Johnny grows angry with how things aren’t ready. Catherine mocks her sister for wanting a big wedding, and Ginny, her mother, scolds her for unnecessary commentary.
| The Sopranos Episodes with Cristin Milioti | |
|---|---|
| Season 6, Episode 5 | Mr. and Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request… |
| Season 6, Episode 10 | Moe n’ Joe |
| Season 6, Episode 14 | Stage 5 |
When they talk about food, Catherine angrily protests and asks the family if they can talk about anything besides food. While Milioti’s role was small, it was impactful, and it helped paint the family dynamic of the Sacrimonis. Auditioning with Buscemi paid off for Milioti, because Buscemi directed the episode that brought a grounded, yet unique dynamic to the Sacrimonis. Milioti’s role in The Sopranos wasn’t the biggest in her career, but it made her a recurring character for several episodes.
