James Gandolfini, the Emmy Award-winning actor who shot to fame on the HBO drama “The Sopranos” as Tony Soprano, a tough-talking, hard-living crime boss with a stolid exterior but a rich interior life, died on Wednesday in Italy. He was 51. His teenage son, Michael, found the actor collapsed in their Italy hotel room and called for help. The two were on a father-son vacation.
How sad. Mr. Gandolfini is gone far too soon. I feel horrible for his son for having found him, and for his family. Rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteRIP. So sad.
ReplyDeleteSo sad, his poor son the other sites did not mention that..
ReplyDeleteRIP James is was too soon
What a loss. RIP.
ReplyDeleteOh god... this was heartbreaking enough before the information that his son was the one to find him :-(
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are with his family and friends... Devastating news...
ReplyDeleteRIP Mr Gandolfini. You will be missed.
ReplyDeleteSo, so sad. Hard to believe such a big personality could be gone so quickly.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to his teenage son, he also left behind a 9 month old daughter. Very sad, indeed.
ReplyDeleteLove James, just don't have the words to express his impact. He was one of the greatest.
ReplyDeleteRIP.
ReplyDeleteAnother proof that the idea of karma is utter bullshit: jimmy saville was raping kids for almost fifty years and died happy as a sir, James Gandolfini has died at 51.
They will each be appropriately awarded in the afterlife.
ReplyDeleteRIP..was very saddened to hear this.
ReplyDeleteThere was a report that Mr. Gandolfini's sister was also on the trip. I hope the 13 year old son wasn't completely by himself in a foreign country during the ordeal. His mother reportedly flew out but that had to be beyond scary for him to deal with especially since he found his dad. R.I.P.
ReplyDeleteRest In Peace James. What a huge talent.
ReplyDeleteRIP Mr. Gandolfini. You will be deeply missed.
ReplyDeleteThis one hit me hard. I just loved watching this guy on film, whether it was tv or movies. What a loss of talent and humanity. Just about everyone he worked with and dealt with had nothing but wonderful things to say about him. My heart breaks for his kids. :(
ReplyDeleteThis has hit me hard. He was so young, so vibrant....
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ReplyDeleteToo young, too soon, too sad. Good journey, my friend.
ReplyDeleteSo sad. What an amazing actor gone....I just loved his acting. Hit me hard too.
ReplyDeleteRest in peace, Gandolfine's
ReplyDeleteThis was a real shocker for me. I never saw "The Sopranos," but I did see him in "Welcome to the Rileys" and he gave what should've been an Oscar-nominated performance. His hicky Indianapolis small businessman played perfectly against Kristen Stewart's hard-bitten teenage New Orleans hooker. He even had the Indy accent down perfectly, the only time I've known any actor to manage that. I'll miss him.
ReplyDeleteVery sad. My first thought was that we'd heard he had a drug issue years ago but I must have had him confused with someone else based on all the accolades pouring in. His poor son. 51 is so young.
ReplyDeleteRIP.
ReplyDelete"Welcome to the Rileys" was an incredible performance, I agree. He was so touching, and it was so unlike his Tony Soprano role. A very nuanced, talented actor. Anyone who can make you kind of like a murderous Mafioso by showing the layers of his conflicted personality is obviously a wonderful actor. I feel very sorry for his family, especially his son. By all accounts he was a very good man.
ReplyDeleteThis shocked me and upset me as well. I can't even imagine how hard it must of been for his son to find him.
ReplyDeletePoor kid, finding his dad like that! RIP James.
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean he's swimming with the fishes? Are we sure this wasn't mob-related?
ReplyDeleteI'm from New Jersey. The Sopranos and James Gadolfini is ingrained in our culture. We love him. it's just devastating. He was an incredible actor who did a lot for veterans (Alive day was amazing). He was entirely too young to leave this earth. May God rest his soul.
ReplyDeleteRIP....so sad. Poor kids, & his wife :(...
ReplyDeleteGod I had such a crush on him.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely devastating loss...rest in peace, James.
ReplyDeletePoor Bastard. I loved watching him lump up Patricia Arquette in Tru Romance and Sopranos, minus the last 2 seasons, may have been the best TV show of all time.
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean Jr is the Boss again? Can't be Chris or Paulie, neither of them could run around the block, much less run a crew.
Robert---Are you saying I have an accent? I am going to have to see that Gandolfini performance to hear what I sound like---Thanks. Seriously. Sounds interesting...You know Indianapolis?
ReplyDelete(I've lived in Indiana all my life---The only accent i thought we were known for was the rural accent.)
@Libby- fellow Hoosier here thinking the same thing. There's an accent?
DeleteAlthough, come to think of it - when moved out west the kids made fun of me because I enunciated double-T's. I'd say but-ton instead of buh-un. But O don't think that's a regional thing.
Fat iPhone fingers. Please pardon typos.
DeleteWhat everyone else has said. Loved The Sopranos. 51 is just too dang young. Liked Gavin Rossdale's Twitter comment. Something to the effect of life goes by fast, show love everyday to those who are important to you. Amen
ReplyDeleteAlso, thanks to those who mentioned his performance in Welcome To The Rileys. Must see it, but i'm afraid it will break my heart.
ReplyDeleteAwful to hear. Wow.
ReplyDeleteThe sole reason that Welcome to the Rileys was watchable for even 10 minutes was because of James Gandolfini. I really hated Tony Soprano, which I guess is a good indicator that the guy was one hell of an actor because I still couldn't stop watching.
ReplyDeleteI'm from NJ as well, and this sad news is everywhere today. Such a sad loss.
ReplyDeleteDevastating. Heartbroken.
ReplyDelete@KPeony: What exit?
ReplyDeleteAs uncle Junior would say, "What a fuckin' blow."
ReplyDeleteI logged onto the computer last night and saw he passed away. I have only seen him in one thing I am aware of and he was very good. Never saw the Sopranos. But it even stunned me to hear of his passing at such a young age. So sad. Good do die young.
ReplyDeleteYes Libby: You guys do have an accent. Almost everyone does to a degree. When you travel extensively you start to hear them. Or maybe it's just me. I am fascinated with copying them.
I heard this last night.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad thing--he was a brilliant actor, and off-camera he seemed like a very genuinely nice guy.
I'm very sorry for his family.
@Count 36 GSP
ReplyDeleteOh jeez. If I ever go to AC on a photo safari hunting Miss Bynes, I'll give you a heads up.
ReplyDelete:( RIP, paisan.
ReplyDeleteHow sad.Every one has always said he was a huge teddy bear and a very generous caring person.rare in fakywood.I feel so bad for his family and his 8 month old daughter.Sad Sad
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to his family and friends. How lucky we all were to know his talent, how sad to have lost it so soon. RIP.
ReplyDeleteI was stunned when I read the news. I've never seen anything that James was in, but it sounds like he was actually far more able as an actor than he was normally cast.
ReplyDelete@Libby, same here. I wonder if @Robert is acquainted with anyone from The Region, and if so, if he'd give the same comment.
OT but it just came to mind as all the Hoosiers came out to play: anyone want a Jimmy Buffett ticket for his show in Indy next Thursday? I can't go so I need to sell. $48.85 lawn seat but I might be able to negotiate.
ReplyDeleteI once read somewhere how he would stay up all night during the filming of Sopranos so that he would come across more convincing in his role as Tony.
ReplyDelete