Michael Imperioli pays tribute to James Gandolfini
On the tenth anniversary of his passing, the late James Gandolfini was fondly remembered by his Sopranos co-stars for his “kindness and generosity”.
The actor, globally celebrated for his role as the fearsome but irresistibly charming mob boss Tony Soprano, tragically died of a heart attack on June 19th, 2013, aged just 51. His sudden passing in Rome came six years after the final episode of The Sopranos aired.
Michael Imperioli, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus were among those who paid heartfelt tributes a decade after his death. Imperioli, who portrayed cousin Christopher Moltisanti in the hit HBO show, shared a picture of the two on Instagram, reminiscing about their shared adventures and Gandolfini’s character.
During a Vanity Fair roundtable, Edie Falco, who played Carmela Soprano, Gandolfini’s wife in the series, praised his remarkable instincts and professionalism on the Sopranos set. She admired his ability to follow deeper, more significant impulses – even if it meant deviating from script lines or scene blocking. On his self-confidence as an actor, Falco said: “I was jealous that he had somehow gotten permission from himself to do that kind of thing.”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, co-star with Gandolfini in the romantic comedy Enough Said, described him as a “very tenderhearted, thoughtful man”.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Louis-Deyfus hinted at an endearing awkwardness in his acting career: “I don’t know if this is true, but I think he was almost embarrassed to be an actor. I think he was sort of at odds with himself in that sense.” Lorraine Bracco, who played Tony Soprano’s therapist, Dr Jennifer Melfi, warmly remembered Gandolfini as “a big teddy bear”.
On Father’s Day, Gandolfini’s son, Michael, also expressed his love and longing for his late father, sharing some touching childhood photographs of them. “Happy Father’s Day Dad. I love you. Today, tomorrow, and every day. I miss you, I love you,” Galofini wrote.
Imperioli reflected: “It’s so very strange that it’s 10 years today since you left us,” adding that he “would love to have shot one more scene or had another laugh or one more late-night chat.”
Gandolfini clearly made as much of a profound impact on those around him as he did on the television landscape. Imperioli continued, saying: “Forever grateful to have done so much work together, to have spent so much time in your company and for all the generosity and kindness. Miss you lots, as do so many on the planet.”
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