Livia Soprano was meant to be a key part of The Sopranos Season 3 as Tony would be arrested for stealing airline tickets and shed possibly have to testify against him in court (via Deadline). However actress Nancy Marchand had been having health issues even when she was filming the first season though she insisted on working anyway. She died of lung cancer in 2000 before Season 3 could begin shooting (via The Orlando Sentinel).

According to The Chicago Tribune the show ended up combining CGI augmentation with outtakes to create a creepy somewhat infamous final scene between Tony and Livia in Season 3 Episode 2 Proshai Livushka. Chase thought that the audience needed one more moment to illustrate how much Livia cares only about herself. But the sequence feels more awkward than necessary and the creator later admitted to Deadline that the sequence wasnt completely successful.

The rest of the episode however is much stronger and funnier as Tony learns of his mothers passing and is forced by his sister Janice (Aida Turturro) to hold an awkward funeral for a woman no one really liked. Even in death the character of Livia was inspiring some truly hilarious and amazing television.