Drea de Matteo seemed to be poised for a significant Hollywood career following her Emmy Award-winning turn as the doomed Adriana La Cerva in HBO's The Sopranos, but after several big-screen supporting roles and more TV work in the likes of Joey, Sons of Anarchy and Desperate Housewives, the actress stepped away from acting.
Now, de Matteo has revealed that this extended sabbatical wasn't exactly her decision, as her anti-vax stance during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in her becoming "persona non grata among the Hollywood set."
“Without a phone call or an email. Just told me through my manager, and that was that," the actress tells Variety. "I couldn’t work anymore. To be demonized over a medical choice when they keep screaming, ‘Pro choice,’ I’m like, ‘Do you guys hear yourselves?’”
To make ends meet, de Matteo started an OnlyFans account that's proven to be a massive success.
“I tried not to be outspoken. I tried to be under the radar. But I joined OnlyFans to save my f*cking house. And it was kind of, in a weird way, a political statement. Like a big ‘f*ck it.’ Get comfortable being uncomfortable. That was my statement,” she says.
De Matteo goes on to note that she had actually begun to "pull away" from Hollywood even before the pandemic, and became more selective with her roles, especially if accepting a project meant she would have to leave home for extended periods.
“I was offered some Marvel thing, and I turned that down because my son was crying every time I’d go to Canada to just guest star on something,” she recalls. “And I was like, ‘F*ck it. I’m not gonna do it. I have enough money to get us through the winter.’ I don’t want to be this Hermes-toting, Gucci shoe-wearing person. I just didn’t give a shit. I mean, I wear sweatpants and T-shirts all day.”
Unfortunately, de Matteo didn't reveal which character she was courted to play, and a "Marvel thing" doesn't necessarily mean it was a Marvel Studios project.
It remains to be seen if de Matteo ever returns to acting, but she seems to be aware that her current political stance isn't exactly conducive to a mainstream comeback.
Assuming de Matteo was offered an MCU role, are there any particular heroes or villains you'd like to see her play? Be sure to drop us a comment down below.