JAMES GANDOLFINI DIES IN ITALY

[tomdiginson]

RIP The sopranos was a great show. James Gandolfini was a great actor. Shame he had to die so young.

 

[big j 33]

Much of the credit for the show, and the character, comes from "Sopranos" creator David Chase, but Chase has said that Tony wasn't fully-formed until Gandolfini was cast in the role.

It was raw, astonishing work, year in and year out. It turned Gandolfini from an unknown into an icon, in a transformation he was never comfortable with. I've encountered many actors who are aloof about dealing with the press out of a sense of ego; Gandolfini's unease seemed to come from a more genuine place. This was new to him, and too much. Early in the run of the series, he sent Christmas cards to TV critics to thank them for the nice things they had written about the show, and even put his home address on the envelopes. Later, on a night when he was receiving an award from the Television Critics Association, I saw him surrounded by reporters who wanted to interview him; he looked like a cornered animal, and when he won again in later years, he sent a video message.

Because of that discomfort, I don't know that Gandolfini was that disappointed that the movie business never knew what to do with him, either during or after the run of "The Sopranos." He had small, often interesting parts — a gay hitman in "The Mexican," a moderate general in "In the Loop," the frustrated father in Chase's feature debut "Not Fade Away" — but always to the side of what the movie stars were doing. Some of this was typecasting — several times (most recently with "Zero Dark Thirty"), I heard moviegoers laugh in recognition at Tony Soprano popping up in the middle of somebody else's movie — but also the difficulty of finding anything close to the perfect alchemy of actor and role that Gandolfini found with Tony Soprano. He was, again, a character actor, and a great (if underused) one.
And his work on the show made possible Vic Mackey, Al Swearengen, Walter White, Don Draper and every complicated, riveting anti-hero (or worse) who followed him. "The Sopranos" was an enormous hit, and told the business that the old rules need no longer apply.

James Gandolfini is dead, robbing us of several decades of amazing performances. Whatever happened when the lights turned out at Holsten's, Gandolfini's performance means that Tony Soprano will live forever.

Highlights from Alan Sepinwall's great article on Gandolfini's death.

http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/remembering-james-gandolfini-and-tony-soprano

 

[freeze]

'stick boney, but the pockets are fat like Tony'





RIP a great one.

 

[big j 33]

Another great article
Seitz on James Gandolfini, 1961-2013: A Great Actor, A Better Man


Some highlights

There was no blowout premiere party for season one of The Sopranos because nobody had any idea how big it would become. Season two was a different story. HBO rented out Radio City Music Hall. The cast and crew and executives arrived in limousines, as is customary. James Gandolfini arrived in a yellow cab.
At the after-party, I asked him why.
“My family’s here,” he said. “My friends are here. Guys I grew up with are here. Some of them came by train or by the subway to get here, or they drove three hours in a van or whatever. What are they gonna think if they see me getting out of a limo?”
“They’ll think you’re the star of a hit TV show,” I said. “Which you are.”
“They’re gonna think I’ve gone Hollywood.”
“You know this is the last year you’ll be able to do that, right?” Michael Imperioli told Gandolfini. And he was correct. Gandolfini showed up at the season three premiere party in a limo. On the red carpet, he looked as though he’d rather be anywhere else, but he showed up in a limo.

In December 1999, on the eve of season two, he sent Christmas cards to critics who’d written nice things about the show. As Alan noted in his appreciation, some of these cards had his home address on them.

When my wife died suddenly of a heart attack in 2006, he sent me a condolence note. It read, “I am sorry for your loss. I remember talking to your wife on the phone that one time. She seemed like a nice lady.”
It was signed, “Jim.”

 

[usafant]

Sad man....RIP. In the middle of re-watching The Sopranos now on HBOGo.

 

[solidsnake]

I got sent commiserations via text cause people know how much I love this show!

 

[zekethephysique]

I've been bummed out ever since I heard the news. I've spent all morning at work reading articles and watching clips of his best scenes in the Sopranos. I've never been affected this way about a celebrity's death. I am honestly sad about this.

I saw this on some website and it sums up my thoughts exactly:

Still, when you hear a celebrity died unexpectedly, you’re expecting a Bieber or a Bynes, not somebody who actually makes s*&t the world could use. The Grim Reaper is a di#%.

Great Article:

http://www.gq.com/entertainment/mov...es-gandolfini-david-chase-july-2013?mbid=gqpr

 

[Coupé It]

Respect the articles.

 

[fresh out dabox]

Damn... RIP.

He was a really good actor.

 

[Sir San Diego]

R.I.P

 

[6 Rings G.O.A.T.]

Rest in peace.

 

[swin429]

Rip really came out of no where

 

[born illa]

Still can't believe it.

R.I.P

 

[651akathepaul]

Truly a bummer. R.I.P.

 

[Tummy Arashikage]

Whoa that's crazy. R.I.P.