A Made Met

Actor Michael Imperioli (Christopher on The Sopranos) takes on the role of a Mets catcher in the movie version of Mitch Albom's novel For One More Day, airing Dec. 9 on ABC. The 41-year-old Mount Vernon, N.Y., native has a black belt in taekwondo.

SI: You met with Yankees catcher Jorge Posada (below) to prepare for this movie, right?

Imperioli: Yes. He was my favorite player even before I did this. I wanted to talk about the mental aspect of being a catcher. They're like shrinks, helping pitchers stay connected to the game. Pitchers tend to be idiosyncratic, and there's a solitary aspect to the job. The catcher is kind of their lifeline.

SI: Is playing a Met heresy for a Yankees fan?

Imperioli: In acting, everything is O.K. If it's all right that I put someone's head through a window, then I guess it's O.K. to wear a Mets uniform.

SI: How much of a Yankees fan are you, anyway?

Imperioli: We were shooting [For One More Day] near Massachusetts, and the Red Sox organization called and asked if I wanted to throw out the first ball at Fenway. I said I would do it only if I could wear a Yankees uniform. They didn't go for that.

SI: Did athletes reach out to you to say they liked The Sopranos?

Imperioli: The best was when I got a call two years ago from a lawyer for Muhammad Ali (right) saying, "Muhammad wants to meet you. He's a fan of the show." I was stunned. I invited them to the set, but I kept thinking, This is not going to happen. But Ali came! I brought him in, and he got an ovation from the whole crew. Everyone stopped working for a half hour. Some people were crying. He went up to everyone, shook hands; it was unbelievable. I don't think people would have reacted the same way if it were the Pope.

SI: Did Ali get an audience with Tony Soprano?