Washington DC, April 27 -- 'The Sopranos' creator David Chase wasn't so impressed at first with actor James Gandolfini to cast him in the lead role for the iconic show 'The Sopranos', reported Variety.

In an excerpt from Jason Bailey's film historian book Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend (via Vulture), Chase states that Gandolfini wasn't "threatening enough" before ultimately casting him in the career-defining role.

According to Variety, during the show's development, Gandolfini's manager, Nancy Sanders, told Chase, "I think I have Tony Soprano."

However, David Chase wasn't immediately convinced.

"All right, here's the deal. I think he's brilliant. I have one concern, and that is, is he threatening enough?" said Chase t...