Gandolfini's friend and fellow cast member of The Sopranos, Vince Curatola, speaks about the death of the 51 year old actor. Credit: Fox News
JAMES Gandolfini, best known as TV mob boss Tony Soprano, has died in Italy at the age of 51.
There are conflicting reports as to whether the US actor suffered a stroke or heart attack.
Gandolfini's managers Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders, said he died Wednesday while on holiday in Rome. No cause of death was given.
"Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply. He and his family were part of our family for many years and we are all grieving,'' said Armstrong and Sanders.
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James Gandolfini in his role as Tony Soprano, head of the New Jersey crime family portrayed in HBO's The Sopranos.Gandolfini has died in Italy. He was 51.
Already a well-travelled actor, Gandolfini shot to fame in 1999 as the head of a mob family on HBO TV series The Sopranos, the show that changed TV's reputation into a destination for quality drama and in turn, film actors.
HBO confirmed the star's death, saying Gandolfini was on vacation in Rome and was expected to make an appearance at the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily later this week.
"We are all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family. He was a special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone no matter their title or position with equal respect," HBO said in a statement.
"He touched so many of us over the years with his humour, his warmth and his humility. Our hearts go out to his wife and children during this terrible time."
Tony Sirico, Michael Imperioli, James Gandolfini and Steven Van Zandt in 'The Sopranos'.
Gandolfini lived in New York with his wife, former model Deborah Lin. The couple had a daughter, Liliana, last October. Gandolfini also had a son, Michael, from a previous marriage.
Gandolfini won three best actor Emmys and a Golden Globe for his depiction of mob boss Tony Soprano, who constantly questions his identity and purpose.
The bear-like actor eventually earned $US1 million per episode in the HBO series and Entertainment Weekly listed him as the 42nd Greatest TV Icon of All Time.
Tributes for James Gandolfini
As a tribute to James Gandolfini, this weekend Foxtel's SoHo channel will present The Top 10 Episodes of The Sopranos – as chosen by TIME magazine. This countdown will air from 1pm EST on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday's episode line up:
Where's Johnny (Season Five – Episode 5003)
Funhouse (Season Two – Episode 2013)
Long Term Parking (Season Five – Episode 5012)
Whoever Did This (Season Four – Episode 4009)
Join the Club (Season Six – Episode 6002)
Sunday's line-up:
Employee of the Month (Season Three – Episode 3004)
Whitecaps (Season Four – Episode 4013)
The Sopranos Pilot (Season One – Episode 1001)
Pine Barrens (Season Three – Episode 3011)
College (Season One – Episode 1005)
James Gandolfini, most known for his role as Tony Soprano, has died in Italy at the age of 51. Credit: Fox News
Meanwhile, fans, actors and many celebrities around the world have paid tribute to Gandolfini.
Steve Van Zandt, member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street band and Gandolfini's co-star in The Sopranos, has tweeted his sadness at Gandolfini's passing: "I have lost a brother and a best friend. The world has lost one of the greatest actors of all time."
David Chase, the show creator who cast Gandolfini in The Sopranos, has released a statement saying: "He was a genius. Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that.
"A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes. I remember telling him many times, 'You don't get it. You're like Mozart'. There would be a silence at the other end of the phone.
"For Deborah and Michael and Liliana this is crushing. And it's bad for the rest of the world.
James Gandolfini and his wife Deborah Lin at the 2008 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
"He wasn't easy sometimes. But he was my partner, he was my brother in ways I can't explain and never will be able to explain."
Chase also wrote and directed one of Gandolfini's final movie performances, in last year's coming of age drama Not Fade Away.
Gandolfini told the LA Times in December that his performance in that film was a "homage" to his own late father, James Snr.
"My father … was old school – Brooklyn, cement mason, bricklayer. He didn't understand me or my generation. He took care of his family, took care of his children," Gandolfini told the paper.
"What we as children didn't realise is our father was a man who had dreams, aspirations and maybe there were things he wanted to do and he couldn't because he had a family. When I realised that … I wished I was a better son."
Actors Robert Iler (C), with Edie Falco (L) and James Gandolfini toasting with drinks at the dinner table in The Sopranos
Australian director Andrew Dominik described Gandolfini as "one of THE great actors" and a "deeply sensitive guy" after working with the late actor on last year's hitman drama Killing Them Softly.
Opinion from movie aficionados on Twitter this morning was that, while universally revered for The Sopranos, Gandolfini's film work was highly underrated.
The New Jersey native, who began his acting career on stages in New York, was one of Hollywood's first-choice supporting players.
His breakthrough came as the hitman Virgil in Tony Scott's 1993 crime hit, True Romance, with Christian Slater and Christopher Walken.
He went on to roles in films such as Killing Them Softly alongside Brad Pitt, as a creature voice in the Australian-shot Where the Wild Things Are, in Kathryn Bigelow's acclaimed Zero Dark Thirty and comedy In the Loop.
james Gandolfini with then-wife Marcy at the 2000 Emmys where he won a best actor award. AFP / Scott Nelson
It is believed the last film he shot was Animal Rescue, a crime drama co-starring Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace.
He also recently filmed Enough Said, a comedy with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Toni Collette.
Gandolfini said he was reluctant to take on another gangster role in Killing Them Softly, directed by Australian Andrew Dominik, but eventually found a way to play his doomed hit-man.
He told US television: "I started thinking, 'I've done a bunch of these guys and this is kind of the final nail in the coffin. This is where you are at the end'. So maybe if I played it that way in my mind, this is the last one, then it got interesting."
Dominik said "He does very little, when you're shooting, that's not usable or believable. There's not much that I did except encourage him. It's not like he needs hand-holding."
He said Gandolfini gave himself "a hard time" during the shoot. After seeing the movie, Gandolfini believed one of his scenes was "s---" and told the director just that.
"Sometimes it's difficult to even get a word in because he's beating himself up so bad. He's a really nice guy, really, deeply sensitive guy, and I guess that's why he's so affecting. When [his character] Mickey's talking about his wife or some girl he's in love with, I feel like I can see his soul or something."
Rod Lurie, writer and creator of the TV show Commander in Chief (starring Geena Davis as the first female President), directed Gandolfini in the 2001 film The Last Castle.
Lurie recalled on Twitter complimenting his leading man, Robert Redford, on his acting during the shoot. Lurie said Redford "smiled, pointed to James Gandolfini and said, 'That's an actor'."
Lurie also revealed "inside" information via tweet that Gandolfini was to return to working with Lurie and HBO for a project called Sacco and Vanzetti.
Sacco and Vanzetti were real life anarchists who were executed in the US in 1927 – the Italian immigrants convicted of murder in a high profile trial which is today considered a miscarriage of justice.
Russell Crowe has joined in the outpouring of grief for Gandolfini on Twitter.
"Sad to hear about James Gandolfini ," tweeted the Aussie actor.
"First met Jimmy back in '94.He was roommates in NY with Lenny Loftin. Lovely man. RIP Jimmy."
Crowe co-starred with Loftin in one of his first big Hollywood movies, LA Confidential.
Mourning his loss on Twitter were fellow actors including Albert Brooks who wrote, "RIP James Gandolfini. One hell of an actor."
Jonah Hill said he was "truly heartbroken to hear that James Gandolfini has passed away. He is one of my all time favourite actors. Tragic loss."
Tom Sizemore tweeted that Gandolfini would "forever" be "the dude in True Romance to me. RIP. Damn."
Steve Carell said the loss was "unbelievably sad news. A fine man".
Lost creator and Star Trek into Darkness screenwriter Damon Lindelof tweeted: "James Gandolfini. You created an icon. And you cut to black way too abruptly. Thank you, and rest in peace."
Actor Kirstie Alley tweeted: "James Gandolfini … this sucks!!! You are so loved and admired … I hope somehow you know that."
Read more tweets about James Gandolfini
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