The late James Gandolfini wasn’t always
the hulking, balding man the world grew to love as a ruthless yet sensitive
mobster on The
Sopranos.
Iconic for his portrayal of the
philandering Tony Soprano, who had better luck being loyal to his mob family than his own
family, Gandolfini was equally frisky in his younger years, decades before he
played the enigmatic violent sociopath on The
Sopranos.
Born
September 18, 1961, James Gandolfini was best known as the affable Tony
Soprano, the Mafia crime boss, and the family patriarch in HBO’s The
Sopranos.
Sometimes
sensitive, other times sociopathic, Gandolfini’s landmark performance of the
flawed gangster earned him numerous awards and international acclaim.
Speaking
of the lovable but brutal Tony Soprano, James Gandolfini told Vogue: “I am playing an Italian lunatic from New
Jersey, and that’s basically what I am.”
After
a hugely successful six-season run, the series ended in 2007, leaving fans
wondering if the blacked-out screen in the end meant the antihero is alive, or
dead.
Tragedy
in Rome
But,
along with the legendary actor, the elder Soprano died on June 19, 2013, after
a heart attack claimed the life of the beloved 51-year-old star.
The
Jersey-born man was travelling with his family in Italy and was in the hotel
with his then 13-year-old son Michael when he had a heart attack and died.
Gandolfini
left behind his wife Deborah Lin, who he married in 2008, daughter Liliane
(born 2012), and Michael, who he shares with first wife, Marcy Wudarski.
Almost
10 years later, Michael landed the biggest role of his life, playing the role
of a young Tony Soprano in The Many Saints of Newark.
In
September 2021, Michael spoke with the New York Times about capturing the complexity of the
character his father so effortlessly played.
“I
was always like, ‘I want to make my dad proud. I want to make my dad proud.’”
The then 22-year-old actor continued, “I truly wasn’t aware of the legacy of
him…My dad was just my dad.”
Though
it’s cliché, Michael is his dad. The man inherited many of his father’s
features and characteristics, like the sleepy yet inviting eyes, a menacing
smirk and the soft voice mixed with the colorful language.
“The
pressure is real,” he said of playing the mafia don as a youngster. “Not only
was it the feeling of my dad – it was like, Tony Soprano is a f***ing hard
character.”
‘Biggest
flirt’
Before
Gandolfini had three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe resting on his mantel, he
was a regular Italian American kid growing up with his working-class family in
a modest Westwood, New Jersey home.
His
father served as the building maintenance chief at a Catholic school, and his
mother worked as a lunch lady in a high school. He was a “happy, cute little
boy,” as described by childhood chum Pam Donlan, who would later become a highly respected actor
in Hollywood.
In
1979, the young man, who stood just over 6 ft., was a senior at Park Ridge High
School in New Jersey, where he was one of the popular kids.
Excelling
in both academics and extra-curricular activities, the Get Shorty star
developed his skills as an actor while in high school, where he studied
theatre.
It
was in these years the Where the Wild Things Are star met John
Travolta, whose father owned a store the senior Gandolfini patronized.
A young James Gandolfini lookin’ slick (circa 1980)
byu/Whaleears inOldSchoolCool
“My
father sold tires to his father,” Travolta said after Gandolfini died. “I was his
inspiration to get into the business…He would see pictures of me on the wall
from movies and he decided that he wanted to be an actor.”
Before
heading off to Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelors of Arts,
Gandolfini first celebrated his last year at high school with classmates voting
him “best looking” and – not surprisingly – “biggest flirt.”
On
a Facebook post shared by the Park Ridge community, an old photo of the young star
along with a woman, Donna Lange, shows the two as “class flirts.”
“I
[love] this picture of Jimmy and Donna…I always remember him like this…happy
kid with that killer smile,” writes one old friend. “It’s a great picture of
Jim and Donna,” shares another.
Meanwhile, Duff Lambros remembers his childhood friend as having
“a “quiet confidence,” and “a cool dignity.” He said, “Girls loved him. Guys
loved him.”
The
friend adds, “When he cracked that smile, it wasn’t just teeth, he smiled with
his eyes. It felt like the sun was shining.”
Travolta
– who shared the screen with Gandfolfini in several films – remembers his
long-time family friend as a giant not only as an actor, but also in his personal
life. “He was a people person first and then everything else,” Travolta said.
“He was this beautiful man and I love him very much.”
Despite
Tony Soprano’s imposing presence, Gandolfini exhibited remarkable humility and
dedication. He humorously characterized himself as a “260-pound Woody Allen,”
emphasizing his unassuming nature despite the larger-than-life character he
portrayed on screen.
What are your favorite memories of James
Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, or in another role? Please let us know what you
think in the comments section below and then share this story so we can hear
what others have to say!
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