Emmy-winning Sopranos heroine Drea de Matteo is joining the cast as Wisteria Lane’s newest vixenish housewife, sources confirm to EW.com’s Ausiello Files exclusively.

De Matteo, who will be a series regular, will play the matriarch of a new Italian family. Casting is underway for her landscape designer husband and their tightly wound son.

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Drea de Matteo burst into tears when she discovered she was pregnant, because she didn’t feel ready to be a mother.

The 36-year-old Sopranos star is now a proud mom to seven-month-old Alabama Gypsy Rose, with rocker boyfriend Shooter Jennings, 29.

But she confesses she was terrified when the pregnancy test first turned blue: “We took, like, 50 pregnancy tests. He was really excited, but I was crying, ‘I’m not ready.’”

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WENN

Drea De Matteo reportedly blames her role in cancelled sitcom Joey for ruining her career.

The former Sopranos star signed up to play Matt LeBlanc’s sister on the NBC show, after he continued his famed Friends character for the spin-off following the conclusion of the original hit series in 2004.

But the show failed to win over Friends fans, and was scrapped by the U.S. network in 2006 after only two series.

And, according to New York gossip column Page Six, De Matteo regrets accepting a part in the doomed series – admitting she has been out of work since the show ended.

A source tells the publication, “She was saying Joey completely ruined her career. She called it horrible and said she hasn’t been able to really work since then.

“She said she’s really been out of the business and is trying to get back in.”

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WENN

Former Sopranos star Drea de Matteo has given birth to a baby girl, Alabama Gypsy Rose.

The actress, 35, and musician boyfriend Shooter Jennings, 28, welcomed their daughter on Wednesday night, a rep for the actress tells E! Online’s Marc Malkin.

Alabama is the first child for the couple, who have been dating for six years.

De Matteo, who played Adriana La Cerva on the HBO drama and also starred in the NBC sitcom Joey, announced the pregnancy in May.

In June, even before she knew the gender, De Matteo had a feeling she was having a girl. “I use ’she,’ because I’m getting so fat, I think it’s a girl!” she said at the time.

Jennings is the son of the late country legend Waylon Jennings.

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Drea de Matteo, who played Adriana La Cerva on the HBO hit series, The Sopranos, is expecting her first child, the actress’ rep confirms to Usmagazine.com. The child is due in late 2007.

“Drea de Matteo and her long time boyfriend Shooter Jennings are having a baby and they are so excited,” the rep tells Us. De Matteo, 35, and the 27-year-old country singer have been dating for five years.

Monday’s Page Six reported that “spies” at Veronique Maternity on Madison Avenue overheard Matteo discussing the pregnancy and let the news slip to the New York Post, adding, “She isn’t showing much of a baby bump yet.”

Matteo’s rep tells Usmagazine.com: “Please beware the only reason we’re announcing the news is because the very rude and condescending salespeople at Veronique Maternity on Madison Avenue decided to leak this to the press, so please beware if you’re trying to keep your happy secret under wraps.”

And De Matteo’s advice to moms-to-be? “Shop at Pea in the Pod,” the actress tells Us. “The salespeople are lovely and helpful and know how to keep exciting news to themselves.”