Tony Hale's Sopranos Stint Was Deeply Impacted By Anxiety

Tony Hale should be a familiar face for fans who have enjoyed the acclaimed comedic gem "Arrested Development." In the series about the wealthy but dysfunctional Bluth family, Hale played quirky sibling Buster Bluth. The breakout role introduced many viewers to the actor's talents, and he continued to shine in other roles, like that of political aide Gary Walsh in "Veep." Hale has shown little problem keeping busy, especially in 2022, with the actor having worked on Disney+ projects "Hocus Pocus 2" and "The Mysterious Benedict Society."

Before Hale was starring in Disney projects, doing voice work, and delivering hilarious scenes in "Arrested Development," however, he was busy climbing up the Hollywood career ladder by doing commercials and making bit appearances on other hit TV series, including singular appearances on "Sex and the City," "The Sopranos," and "Dawson's Creek" in 2001. Unfortunately for Hale, his experience on "The Sopranos" was deeply impacted by anxiety.

In Season 3, Episode 7 of "The Sopranos," "Second Opinion," Junior Soprano (Dominic Chianese) is shown getting chemo treatment for cancer as part of a storyline that involves his misguided admiration for a doctor who shares a first and last name with former United States President John F. Kennedy. But what's also significant about the episode is that it features Tony Hale, who plays an oncology nurse named RN Collins who sticks an IV into Junior's arm.

In an interview with SiriusXM's "Pop Culture Spotlight with Jessica Shaw," the actor noted his anxiety was so bad his hands were shaking the entire time he was filming. "Because of my anxiety, my nerves will manifest [themselves] in my hands; my hands will start shaking," Hale said on the talk show. "And I was a nurse oncologist to Uncle Junior, and I'll never forget, my hands were violently shaking about to put a tube into his arm."

Hale managed to get through it but has since worked on tackling his anxiety through therapy and faith, as he shared in another interview with Yahoo Life. He's also found a healthy outlet through some of his characters, noting that he was glad to play someone like Buster who has to deal with so much. "Buster was very overwhelmed," Hale said. "He was always in a state of defense, even his physicality was in a state of defense. And so it was nice to have a character [like that]."

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.