The cast of The Sopranos embodied their characters so much so that it's difficult to imagine anyone else playing them, and yet one of its core characters, Carmela Soprano was almost played by a different actress from the show.

For her role as Carmela, Edie Falco garnered two Golden Globes, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Primetime Emmys, and a well-deserved place in TV history. Falco brought a freshness to the role that resonated with The Sopranos' darkly comedic and distinctly suburban spin on the Mafia genre.