In 2001, during his ill-fated first run for governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo once questioned if “The Sopranos” offered a favorable representation of Italian-Americans. Now, one of the stars of that HBO hit series has been tapped to play the now-governor in a forthcoming Showtime series, Variety reported on Wednesday.
Michael Imperioli will portray Cuomo in “Escape at Dannemora,” a limited Showtime series based on the 2015 escape of two convicted murderers from Clinton Correctional Facility upstate.
Inmates Richard Matt and David Sweat escaped the Dannemora-based prison on June 6, 2015, with the help of prison seamstress Joyce Mitchell.
A weekslong manhunt ensued, and Matt was fatally shot by a Vermont border control agent in Malone, New York, on June 26. Sweat was shot and recaptured two days later by a New York state trooper. Mitchell is currently serving up to seven years for her role in the escape.
Benicio Del Toro will portray Matt, while Paul Dano will play Sweat. Patricia Arquette will star as Mitchell.
Cuomo ordered the investigation into the prison break and took a public tour of the facility, which included him climbing down the ladder Matt and Sweat used to escape.
The eight-hour “Escape at Dannemora” is slated to be released in January, according to IMDB. Ben Stiller will executive produce and direct.
