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James Gandolfini’s final movie, The Drop, has premiered at this year’s Toronto Film Festival.
The Drop sees James Gandolfini playing a Brooklyn bar owner who facilitates the criminal underworld’s money-laundering.
James Gandolfini died in June 2013 after suffering a heart attack, shortly after shooting the film.
Co-star Tom Hardy paid tribute to James Gandolfini on the red carpet, saying he was “very grateful to have the privilege of working with him”.
“There’s very few people who have a very specific ability and talent and he’s a brilliant actor,” he told reporters.
The Drop sees James Gandolfini playing a Brooklyn bar owner who facilitates the criminal underworld’s money-laundering
The Drop is based on the short story Animal Rescue by author Dennis Lehane, who also wrote previous crime novels Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River.
Dennis Lehane, who also wrote the screenplay for the film, said that when James Gandolfini was cast he wanted to include more dialogue “because of how [he] can turn street speech into a symphony”.
James Gandolfini’s ex-wife Marcy attended the premiere along with their 14-year-old son Michael, who said he was “really proud” of his father.
“He loved acting. He loved being an actor. I know how hard he worked and I love how hard he worked,” Michael Gandolfini said.
“I want the world and everyone just to know that he was more than just an actor.
“He didn’t want to be Tony Soprano; he wanted to go on and push himself more, try to get harder, get different.”
Another James Gandolfini film released after his death, the romantic comedy Enough Said co-starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, also premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year.
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The upcoming HBO miniseries Criminal Justice will see Robert De Niro taking over James Gandolfini’s role in the drama.
James Gandolfini died of a heart attack on June 19 during a vacation to Rome. He was found by his 13-year-old son, Michael, who found him unconscious around 10 p.m. on the bathroom floor of the Boscolo Exedra Hotel.
At the time of his death, James Gandolfini had already filmed the pilot for the crime drama, which is based on the BBC series of the same name.
Robert De Niro is taking over James Gandolfini’s role in Criminal Justice
The first five-episode season premiered on June 2008 on BBC One, and the second season premiered on October 5, 2009. The series received positive reviews and won several awards.
Robert De Niro replaces the Sopranos star an ambulance-chasing lawyer named Jack Stone. James Gandolfini will keep a posthumous executive producer credit on the miniseries. The first season of Criminal Justice will be based on the first season of the BBC version, which focused on a man who goes home with a female stranger, wakes up to find her stabbed to death, and is accused of the murder. In the HBO version, now set in New York City, the suspect is Pakistani and is accused of murdering a girl on the Upper West Side. Jack Stone finds himself in over his head when he takes the case.
According to Deadline, it was unclear if HBO would proceed with Criminal Justice after James Gandolfini’s death. But because of his commitment to the project, the network decided to go forward with the series in his honor. The website also said that director Steven Zaillian and HBO set about recasting the role and had only person on their list to replace James Gandolfini: 70-year-old Robert De Niro.
James Gandolfini was reportedly robbed on the same day that he died of heart attack in Rome almost two months ago.
James Gandolfini’s expensive Rolex watch was stolen from his hotel room shortly after his life was tragically cut short.
According to insurance forms obtained by TMZ, a $3,000 Rolex submariner timepiece went missing from James Gandolfini’s Boscolo Luxury Hotel Exedra suite.
James Gandolfini’s expensive Rolex watch was stolen from his hotel room shortly after his life was tragically cut short
The form implies that the thief perhaps took the watch during the commotion following the heart attack that killed James Gandolfini.
It states that there were no signs of forced entry nor any damage done to the room.
James Gandolfini died following a massive heart attack during a family trip to the Italian city.
He was vacationing with wife Deborah Lin and his 13-year-old son Michael when he collapsed in the bathroom of his suite at the city’s Boscola Exedra Hotel on June 19.
James Gandolfini – best known for his role as mob boss Tony Soprano in hit HBO show The Sopranos – had spent the day sightseeing in Rome ahead of an expected flight to Sicily on June 22 to collect an award at the Taormina Film Festival.
James Gandolfini’s final TV show Criminal Justice is unlikely to be screened, according to HBO.
James Gandolfini, who died of a heart attack in June aged 51, had filmed the pilot for Criminal Justice.
James Gandolfini’s final TV show Criminal Justice is unlikely to be screened
Programming president Michael Lombardo said he could not imagine the show airing because James Gandolfini would not continue with the drama.
Criminal Justice, an adaptation of the 2008 BBC series, saw James Gandolfini playing a New York lawyer.
Speaking to The Television Critics Association, Michael Lombardo said it was difficult to think of recasting that part and was unclear what the future was for the project.
The Sopranos star James Gandolfini had also finished two films before he died. Crime film Animal Rescue and the romance Enough Said are still awaiting release.
Enough Said, which also stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Catherine Keener, will have its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September.
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James Gandolfini’s estate is reportedly about to be gutted by the federal government.
James Gandolfini will calls for 80% of his estate to go to his sisters and his 9-month-old daughter Liliana, according to reports, which subjects them to death taxes – which are levied at a rate of about 55%.
The remaining 20% goes to his widow.
As written, the will subjects everyone involved to significantly more taxation than is normally the case.
“It’s a nightmare from a tax standpoint,” estate lawyer William Zabel told the New York Daily News, calling the segregation of assets a “big mistake” saying the will is “a disaster”.
The enormous tax bill – about $30 million – will be due in about nine months, according to William Zabel.
James Gandolfini, like most high net worth people, probably didn’t keep his assets in cash, which will force his family to sell off his multiple properties and liquidate other holdings to cover the bill, explained William Zabel, but they will have a little wiggle room.
James Gandolfini’s estate is about to be gutted by the federal government due to his disastrous will
“They can get an extension of time to pay the entire amount, but they’re going to have pay a substantial amount in nine months,” said William Zabel.
Though the exact amount of James Gandolfini’s estate is not known since an inventory does not have to be filed until December, estimating it to be worth $70 million leaves heirs to divvy up $40 million after taxes instead of $70 million before taxes, since the will calls for shares to be divided after settling the tax bill, according to the Daily News.
This leaves Deborah Lin, James Gandolfini’s widow, with a significantly smaller share of the pie, according to William Zabel.
“It’s a catastrophe,” the lawyer said.
Untouched by the taxation issues will be a $7 million life insurance payout to Michael Gandolfini, the actor’s 13-year-old son. Separate trust funds had also been set up for James Gandolfini’s wife and son prior to his passing, according to the Daily News.
James Gandolfini died last month in Rome after a massive heart attack. He was in Italy attending a film festival with his family.
Any royalties from his lengthy acting career in film and television going into the estate would also be subject to death taxes. It’s not yet clear whether they are set up to go into trusts or the estate, the Daily News reported.
Should the sisters and daughter renounce their shares in the estate, they would avoid taxes and be able to receive larger payments down the road, since they would default to Deborah Lin as spouses are not subject to the same rates of inheritance taxes as others.
James Gandolfini’s newly-filed will reveals the actor has left the bulk of his estimated $70 million estate to his 13-year-old son Michael and 8-month-old daughter Liliana.
James Gandolfini, who died of a heart attack while on vacation in Italy last month, also left millions to his wife, his two older sisters and friends – including his personal secretary and assistant.
James Gandolfini will reveals he left bulk of his $70 million estate to his children
Read here James Gandolfini Will in full.
James Gandolfini’s newly-filed will reveals the actor has left the bulk of his estimated $70 million estate to his 13-year-old son Michael and 8-month-old daughter Liliana.
James Gandolfini, who died of a heart attack while on vacation in Italy last month, also left millions to his wife, his two older sisters and friends – including his personal secretary and assistant.
The will, which was seen by the New York Post, was signed on December 19 last year and filed in Manhattan Surrogate’s Court on Tuesday.
It shows that James Gandolfini’s teenage son Michael by his first wife is to get the largest chunk of his father’s estate through a trust set aside for him until he turns 21.
Through the trust, Michael Gandolfini will also be able to buy his father’s lavish home and parking space in Greenwich Village in Manhattan.
Michael Gandolfini will split his father’s Italian property with his half-sister, Liliana, when she turns 25.
James Gandolfini asked in the documents that they “keep it in our family for as long as possible”.
James Gandolfini’s newly-filed will reveals the actor has left the bulk of his estimated $70 million estate to his 13-year-old son Michael and 8-month-old daughter Liliana
His other properties – a $1.1 million home in Califon, New Jersey, and a $7 million penthouse in Tribeca, Manhattan – are not specifically mentioned in the will but it notes they can be sold.
Michael Gandolfini also gets his father’s clothing and jewelry.
The remainder of James Gandolfini’s estate will be split among his wife, Deborah Lin, his sisters, Johanna Antonacci and Leta Gandolfini, and his baby daughter Liliana.
Johanna Antonacci and Leta Gandolfini each get 30% of the leftover estate, while Deborah Lin and little Liliana will each receive 20%. He also left $500,000 to each of his two nieces, the daughters of Johanna.
James Gandolfini left $200,000 each to his personal assistant and friend, Thomas Richardson, and secretary, Trixie Flynn Bourne, and amounts of $100,000 and $50,000 to other select friends.
The actor was estimated to be worth up to $70 million when he died of a sudden heart attack on June 19 when he was just 51.
James Gandolfini was found suffering a heart attack by his son Michael and was pronounced dead in hospital. A funeral for the beloved actor was held in Manhattan last week.
His family joined more than 1,000 mourners including Edith “Edie” Falco, Gandolfini’s on-screen wife, for the two-hour ceremony, which was described as a “wonderful” tribute to the star.
Friend Thomas Richardson, who was named in the will, described how every day with James Gandolfini was an adventure, whether it was sharing sushi on set or helping New Jersey residents recover in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
“He really made the most of every day,” he said.
“In his passing, he is forever with us. Amen.”
The will is the first and primary filing of James Gandolfini’s estate; more documents are expected to be filed.
Alec and Hilaria Baldwin took to Twitter during James Gandolfini’s funeral service on Thursday.
The pregnant yoga instructor’s social media feed was full of upbeat posts while James Gandolfini’s friends, family and co-stars were gripped with grief at a New York Catholic church.
Hilaria Baldwin’s messages included a request for ideas about wedding anniversary presents and promotional notes about her upcoming appearance on the Rachael Ray show.
The 29-year-old, who is due to give birth to her first child this summer, did make time to pay tribute to James Gandolfini amid the social media flurry, writing: “The circle of life is unbelievable – birth, life, death… Please take care of yourselves as life is fragile. Rest in Peace Jimmy.”
Hilaria Baldwin barely skipped a beat before changing the tone, writing: “What did you do for your first wedding anniversary? What did you give your partner? Ours is coming up!”
During the time of the service, she re-tweeted a post from the Rachael Ray show, promoting one of her own recipes of a summer smoothie.
“I’m sure you have some amazing recipes!” Hilaria Baldwin wrote.
She also re-tweeted a “cute” Us Weekly article about herself, which saw her throwing a baby show for “Military moms-to-be”.
At one point, Hilaria Baldwin directed a magazine to get in touch with her publicist.
She also claimed she didn’t have her cell with her, tweeting: “FYI I don’t believe in bringing phones into a funeral and I never did and I never would.”
Sources close to Hilaria Baldwin insist to that the couple left the ceremony early through a side exit because she was feeling “faint” in the heat and she tweeted from her car on the way home. It’s unclear exactly how long they stayed.
Alec and Hilaria Baldwin arrive at Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine for James Gandolfini’s funeral services
Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin appeared to promote a new movie titled Dirty Wars, posting a link just a short time before he honored James Gandolfini.
Eventually, Alec Baldwin, 55, tweeted: “The end of The Sopranos has a different meaning to me now. Rest in Peace, Jimmy.”
He also posted a link to a news article on the funeral.
Hilaria and Alec Baldwin were among the throngs of stars who turned out at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York to say goodbye to the beloved actor.
James Gandolfini’s wife Deborah Lin gave a heart-wrenching eulogy for her ‘honest, kind and loving’ husband in the cathedral.
The first family member to speak, Deborah Lin described James Gandolfini as someone who “cared more about others than himself” and said she enjoyed watching him be a wonderful father to his two children.
“Jim, one of the things I loved the most was watching you be the father that you were to Michael and Lily,” she said.
“Thank you for the memories of the beautiful life we shared together. I love you Jim and I always will. Rest in Peace.”
James Gandolfini’s sister Johanna Antonacci and actor Lennie Loftin also did readings during the ceremony, which began at 10 a.m. local time at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine and Sopranos creator David Chase read out a letter he had written to his leading man.
James Gandolfini’s son, Michael, who tragically found his father dying in an Italian hotel room while the pair were on vacation last week, looked teary-eyed as he arrived at the church just moments after the actor’s casket was escorted inside.
Michael Gandolfini joined more than 1,000 mourners including Edith “Edie” Falco, James Gandolfini’s on-screen wife Carmela in the HBO hit show at for the ceremony, which lasted two hours and was described as a “wonderful” tribute to the star.
Other cast members who came to pay their respects included pregnant Jamie Lynn-Sigler, who played Tony Soprano’s daughter Meadow, Aida Turturro, who played his sister Janice, John Ventimiglia, who portrayed Artie Bucco, and Michael Imperioli, who starred as Tony’s nephew Christopher Moltisanti.
James Gandolfini died of a heart attack at age 51 while holidaying in Rome, Italy, with his son last week.
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Family, friends and fans have paid tribute to James Gandolfini at his funeral in New York City, a week after he died in Italy.
David Chase, who created The Sopranos series that made James Gandolfini a household name was among the speakers.
“You were a good boy,” he said during the ceremony at New York’s Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine.
James Gandolfini, who was 51, died following a heart attack last Wednesday while on holiday with his son.
One of four speakers at the funeral, David Chase remembered James Gandolfini in the form of a letter to the actor, in the present tense, saying he brought the traits of a sad boy, “amazed and confused,” to the role of Tony Soprano.
“You could see it in your eyes. That’s why you were a great actor.”
Family, friends and fans have paid tribute to James Gandolfini at his funeral in New York City
David Chase recalled that James Gandolfini once told him: “You know what I want to be? A man. That’s all. I want to be a man.”
David Chase said he marveled upon hearing that, since the actor represented a man so many others wanted to be.
James Gandolfini’s widow, Deborah Lin, and two family friends also spoke during the service.
The actor’s portrayal of the mob boss in the HBO series won him three Emmy Awards as best actor in a drama series. The show ran for six seasons.
Aida Turturro, who played James Gandolfini’s sister in The Sopranos, was one of the first from the show’s large cast to arrive for the funeral service at 10:00 EST, which was led by the Very Reverend Dr. James A Kowalski.
Some 1,500 seats had been set up in the church for celebrities, fellow actors and members of the public who wanted to pay their respects to the star.
Several members of the cast of The Sopranos attended, including Edie Falco, Joe Pantoliano, Dominic Chianese, and Steve Buscemi.
The New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie also made an appearance.
Laila Robins, who played James Gandolfini’s on-screen mother as a young woman in the early seasons, remembered his friendly and humble nature.
“He had an acting coach on set back then because he just wanted to do a good job. That was so sweet, and I remember that about him the most – just how badly he wanted to do a good job. He worked so hard,” she said.
The funeral took place a day after a private family wake was held in New Jersey on Wednesday.
Broadway theatres later paid tribute to James Gandolfini, who was nominated for a Tony Award in 2009 for his role in God of Carnage, by dimming their lights.
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James Gandolfini’s 13-year-old son Michael joined mourners including Edith “Edie” Falco, Gandolfini’s on-screen wife Carmela in the HBO hit The Sopranos at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in NYC for the funeral ceremony, which was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. local time.
Before proceedings got underway, seven men could be seen escorting James Gandolfini’s casket, covered in a brown sheet, the church – one of the largest in New York.
Other cast members who came to pay their respects included pregnant Jamie Lynn Sigler, who played Tony Soprano’s daughter Meadow, Aida Turturro, who played his sister Janice, John Ventimiglia, who portrayed Artie Bucco, and Michael Imperioli, who starred as Tony’s nephew Christopher Moltisanti.
New Jersey governor Chris Christie arrived to say goodbye to the man who hailed from his state while James Gandolfini fans lined the streets, hoping they would also be allowed inside the church to mourn the passing of the great actor.
The funeral comes after a private wake was held for family and friends on Wednesday in New Jersey.
The 51-year-old died of a heart attack last week while vacationing in Italy with his son Michael.
The ceremony will include a film tribute produced and filmed by HBO for James Gandolfini’s family, the New York Post reported.
HBO crew members have been mapping out the scene at The Church of Saint John the Divine Cathedral since Monday to shoot a video of the Sopranos cast at the actor’s final curtain call.
Cameramen will be posted around the massive cathedral on Amsterdam Avenue and 112th Street, but the footage will not be aired. It will be a private gift to the family from the network, sources say.
“HBO is running the show,” a source said.
Michael Gandolfini joined mourners at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in NYC for his father funeral ceremony
“They’re paying for everything.
“They originally wanted the cast members to file in through the front door, but it would have created [chaos], so now they’re going to escort them to private property and they’re going to walk in through the side.”
Both James Gandolfini ‘s widow Deborah Lin and his first wife Marcy Wudarski were among the mourners at Wednesday’s wake.
It was invitation-only wake and held at the Robert Spearing Funeral Home in Park Ridge, near Westwood where James Gandolfini grew up.
Meanwhile, Broadway theatres in New York City dimmed their marquee lights on Wednesday night in memory of the late Sopranos star, who earned a Tony Award nomination in 2009 for his role in the award-winning God of Carnage.
Meanwhile, James Gandolfini’s former Sopranos costar Lillo Brancato Jr. spoke about his shock at the actor’s passing.
Lillo Brancato is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence at Hudson Correctional Facility in New York for his role in a robbery that left a police officer dead.
“I couldn’t believe my ears,” Lillo Brancato told The New York Daily News.
“I thought it was a mistake.”
James Gandolfini and Marcy Wudarski divorced in December 2002, and their 13-year-old son Michael allegedly found his father’s body after he died.
Marcy Wudarski and James Gandolfini endured a turbulent separation and divorce but are thought to have grown closer over shared custody of their boy during recent years.
On August 30, 2008, after two years of dating, James Gandolfini married former model Deborah Lin in her hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii.
Their baby daughter Liliana Ruth Gandolfini, was born in October 2012 in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, in Barcelona, the first showing of James Gandolfini’s work in crime-drama Animal Rescue was greeted with a reverential silence and respectful applause.
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James Gandolfini’s funeral service is scheduled to take place at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, one of New York City’s largest churches.
The ceremony at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine is planned for 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 27.
It comes after a private wake for James Gandolfini on Wednesday in New Jersey.
James Gandolfini’s funeral service is scheduled to take place at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in NYC
The 51-year-old Sopranos star died of a heart attack last week while vacationing in Italy with his son Michael, wife Deborah Lin and their 8-month daughter.
Broadway theaters paid tribute by dimming their lights briefly Wednesday night.
James Gandolfini was nominated for a Tony Award in 2009 as an actor in God of Carnage.
The Italian news agency ANSA reported that James Gandolfini’s body departed Rome for the US on Sunday. Gandolfini family spokesman Michael Kobold earlier told reporters the “provisional plan” was to repatriate the actor’s body Monday.
James Gandolfini had been headed to Sicily to appear at the Taormina Film Festival, which paid tribute to him Saturday.
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James Gandolfini’s private viewing is underway in Westwood, a small northern New Jersey town near where the actor grew up.
Mourners began arriving late on Wednesday afternoon at an invitation-only wake for family and friends at the Robert Spearing Funeral Home in Park Ridge, near Westwood where the 51-year-old grew up.
Meanwhile, Broadway theatres in New York City dimmed their marquee lights on Wednesday night in memory of the late Sopranos star, who earned a Tony Award nomination in 2009 for his role in the award-winning God of Carnage.
James Gandolfini died suddenly last week from a heart attack while on holiday with his family in Italy.
Both James Gandolfini’s widow Deborah Lin and his ex-wife Marcy Wudarski were among the mourners at Wednesday’s wake.
His funeral will be held Thursday at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York City.
James Gandolfini’s widow Deborah Lin and his ex-wife Marcy Wudarski were among the mourners at his wake in New Jersey
Meanwhile, James Gandolfini’s former Sopranos costar Lillo Brancato Jr. spoke about his shock at the actor’s passing.
Lillo Brancato is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence at Hudson Correctional Facility in New York for his role in a robbery that left a police officer dead.
“I couldn’t believe my ears,” Lillo Brancato told The New York Daily News.
“I thought it was a mistake.”
James Gandolfini and Marcy Wudarski divorced in December 2002, and their 13-year-old son Michael allegedly found his father’s body after having a massive heart attack in hotel bathroom in Rome.
Marcy Wudarski and James Gandolfini endured a turbulent separation and divorce but are thought to have grown closer over shared custody of their boy during recent years.
On August 30, 2008, after two years of dating, James Gandolfini married former model Deborah Lin in her hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii.
They baby daughter Liliana Ruth Gandolfini, was born in October 2012 in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, in Barcelona, the first showing of James Gandolfini’s work in crime-drama Animal Rescue was greeted with a reverential silence and respectful applause.
A top Searchlight executive introducing Animal Rescue tells international theater owners, “we are all very deeply saddened and feel very honored to have worked with him”.
Animal Rescue is the last film James Gandolfoni shot before his death on June 19 in Italy.
James Gandolfini, who plays a bar owner in the crime drama, stars with Tom Hardy and Noomi Repace.
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James Gandolfini’s body arrived back in New Jersey on Sunday night after flying from Italy – where the 51-year-old star died on June 19.
The Sopranos star’s coffin was loaded onto a private jet operated by Signature Airlines in Rome and touched down at Newark Airport at approximately 9 p.m.
James Gandolfini’s body was then transported to the Robert Spearing Funeral home in New Jersey where it will be held until Thursday when a funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York City.
James Gandolfini’s body arrived back in New Jersey on Sunday night after flying from Italy
An HBO spokeswoman speaking on behalf of the family says the funeral is confirmed for 10 a.m.
James Gandolfini died Wednesday in Rome. Family spokesman Michael Kobold says the actor died of a heart attack.
Photos of the Rome hotel room in which late actor James Gandolfini spent his final moments have emerged as the star’s body was flown back to the United States today ahead of his funeral on Thursday.
In room 449 of the art deco Boscolo Exedra Roma hotel, a $671 per night suite overlooking the Piazza della Repubblica, James Gandolfini died on June 19 of a massive heart attack.
Pictures show the ornate marble bathroom in which the actor was found by his 13-year-old son Michael and where paramedics worked to save James Gandolfini before rushing him to Policlinico Umberto I hospital.
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Pictures of the Rome hotel room in which James Gandolfini spent his final moments have emerged.
In room 449 of the art deco Boscolo Exedra Roma hotel, a $671 per night suite overlooking the Piazza della Repubblica, James Gandolfini died June 19 of a massive heart attack at the age of 51.
Photos show the ornate marble bathroom in which the actor was found by his 13-year-old son Michael and where paramedics worked to save James Gandolfini before rushing him to Policlinico Umberto I hospital.
Celebrity chef Sandra Lee would later stay in the finely appointed room on Friday, until learning it was the very same in which James Gandolfini took ill.
When media learned that Sandra Lee had been so quickly placed in the suite, they pounced. Sources told the New York Post that Sandra Lee was “saddened” when she learned of the fourth floor room’s recent history.
Sandra Lee was in town with her sister and nieces. Room 449 was one of several she’d rented for their trip.
As Italian media began to swarm, Sandra Lee and company left after only one night.
James Gandolfini, who found fame playing a mafia boss was vacationing in Rome prior to the Taormina Film Festival, which he was slated to attend in Sicily over the weekend.
The actor was set to receive an award at the festival. He instead received a tribute on Saturday.
James Gandolfini and his son toured the Vatican prior to his death as they awaited the arrival of his sister.
Boscolo Exedra Roma hotel bathroom where James Gandolfini suffered a fatal heart attack
Leta Gandolfini, one of the actor’s two older sisters who both live in New Jersey, appeared grief-last stricken last week as she arrived at the morgue flanked by security guards.
An autopsy on Friday confirmed James Gandolfini died of a heart attack and that there were no suspicious factors, such as alcohol, on his medical report.
He was taken by ambulance to the hospital around 10:40pm Wednesday night.
He was reportedly alive as six men removed him from the Hotel Exedra, but had entered cardiac arrest by the time he reached the hospital.
Doctors worked for over half an hour, trying to bring James Gandolfini back, but it was to no avail.
The alarm was first raised when the actor’s son Michael called the hotel’s front desk after finding his father in the bathroom.
The night before his death, James Gandolfini dined with Michael in Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood.
His waiter Andrei Burca told the New York Post: “He had a big smile, a big laugh, and looked happy.”
But just 24 hours later, Michael Gandolfini found his father suffering from a heart attack in the bathroom of their hotel room. Doctors battled for 40 minutes to save him but he was later pronounced dead.
James Gandolfini’s body was initially slated to be flown to the U.S.by Wednesday or Thursday, and his funeral held in New York.
“In Italy, it can take up to 10 days to get all the necessary documents and paperwork to repatriate the body. We are looking forward to working with the Italian government and officials to shorten that process,” family friend and spokesman Michael Kobold originally said.
But, on Sunday, those plans appeared to accelerate.
That’s when Michael Kobold told reporters that the “provisional plan” is to depart Rome on Monday afternoon for the United States, several days earlier than anticipated. He did not specify which U.S. airport.
The Italian news agency ANSA later released photos of James Gandolfini’s body departing Rome.
The agency says the private plane took off at 6 p.m. Sunday. Its exact U.S. destination was unclear.
Family spokesman Michael Kobold had told reporters the “provisional plan” was to repatriate Gandolfini’s body Monday.
Michael Kobold thanked Italian and U.S. authorities, including U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, his predecessor Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton for helping with arrangements.
Deborah Lin, who had been married to James Gandolfini for five years, was spotted at a Los Angeles shopping mall buying clothes for their baby daughter before the funeral.
In his home state of New Jersey, flags will be flown at half-mast on state buildings on Monday, New Jersey governor Chris Christie said.
James Gandolfini rose to fame playing a hitman in the 1993 film True Romance, and roles in films such as Terminal Velocity and Get Shorty followed.
However, it was not until his breakout role in 1999 in the hit television show The Sopranos that he became a household name.
Since The Sopranos ended its six-season run in June 2007, James Gandolfini had appeared in a number of big-screen roles, including the crime drama Killing Them Softly and Zero Dark Thirty, a film about the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
James Gandolfini had been working on an upcoming HBO series, Criminal Justice, and had two films due out next year.
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Details about James Gandolfini’s final moments come as a photograph has emerged apparently showing the actor enjoying an evening out with his son Michael the night before his sudden death.
In what could be the last picture of the award-winning actor, James Gandolfini appeared at ease and in good health as he ate dinner at the Sabatini Restaurant with his son Michael, according to fellow holidaymaker Blake Kahn, who took the photo.
James Gandolfini pictured having family meal night before fatal heart attack
Another member of Blake Kahn’s group, Dee Duncan of Roswell, Georgia, added that James Gandolfini looked as if he was enjoying the “magical atmosphere” as jugglers and magicians performed in the square.
Blake Kahn, from Atlanta, Georgia, later shared the images with 11Alive.
James Gandolfini was on vacation in Rome with Michael, wife Deborah and their nine-month-old daughter Liliana to “reconnect with his Italian roots” before the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily.
James Gandolfini’s Sopranos colleagues have led tributes from the showbiz world, with the show’s creator David Chase who compared him to Mozart, praising him as “one of the greatest actors of this or any time”.
James Gandolfini died after he suffered a heart attack in his hotel room in Italy on Wednesday night, and doctors battled for 40 minutes to save him.
Medical staff rushed to Hotel Boscolo in Rome after James Gandolfini’s 13-year-old son found his father suffering the attack in their bathroom around 10 p.m. on Wednesday.
James Gandolfini died after he suffered a heart attack in his hotel room in Italy on Wednesday night
James Gandolfini was taken by ambulance to Policlinico Umberto I hospital where he was pronounced dead. The actor, best known for his role as Tony Soprano in HBO series The Sopranos, was just 51.
“The resuscitation maneuvers, including heart massage etc., continued for 40 minutes and then, seeing no electric activity from the heart, this was interrupted and we declared James dead,” said emergency room chief Claudio Modini.
“The patient was considered dead on arrival, and for that reason an autopsy has been requested to be carried out by a pathologist, as is normal procedure in our country.”
The autopsy is expected to be carried out today.
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James Gandolfini was on a boys trip with his teenage son Michael when he died of a suspected heart attack in Italy on Wednesday.
Actor and friend Gilles Marini wrote a post on his Facebook page paying tribute to James Gandolfini revealing that the 51-year-old actor was on a “boy trip” in Rome with his son Michael.
James Gandolfini was on a boys trip with his teenage son Michael when he died of a suspected heart attack in Italy
Gilles Marini wrote: “I am heartbroken. My bud James Gandolfini just died. Last Saturday he told me at our kids graduation ghat (sic) he was so happy to go with his son to Italy. A boy trip!”
He added: “It was an honor to have met this man, such a great Dad! I spent so much time with James son teaching him soccer. I feel for that kid it must be so hard right now for little Michael.”
James Gandolfini had son Michael with his ex-wife Marcy Wudarski, from whom he was divorced in December 2002.
The actor is survived by his second wife Deborah Lin and their nine-month-old daughter Liliana Ruth and Michael.
James Gandolfini died last night after he was discovered having a heart attack in his hotel bathroom in Rome by his teenage son, Michael, it emerged today.
James Gandolfini was on vacation in Rome with Michael, 13, as well as his wife Deborah and baby daughter Liliana, nine months, and had apparently been hoping to “reconnect with his Italian roots” before attending the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily.
After a day out with the family, James Gandolfini, 51, had a heart attack in his bathroom at the Hotel Boscolo and was found by Michael, who raised the alarm and called the hotel reception, according to the hotel manager.
His Sopranos colleagues have led tributes from the showbiz world, with the show’s creator David Chase who compared him to Mozart, praising him as “one of the greatest actors of this or any time”.
When paramedics arrived to take James Gandolfini to hospital, they found him lying on the bathroom floor, according to hotel owner Antonio D’amore.
James Gandolfini was taken to Policlinico Umberto I at 10.20 p.m., and was pronounced dead at 11 p.m. when efforts to revive him proved unsuccessful, according to Dr. Claudio Modini, head of the hospital’s emergency room.
An autopsy on his body will take place today, as is required by Italian law.
James Gandolfini died last night after he was discovered having a heart attack in his hotel bathroom in Rome by his teenage son, Michael
Mario Sesti, director of the film festival which the star was due to attend this weekend, claimed that James Gandolfini was excited by his Italian vacation because of his family’s link to the country.
“He was so happy to be in Italy, to reconnect with his Italian roots, and he was very excited to come here and receive this award,” Mario Sesti told USA Today.
James Gandolfini was born and brought up in New Jersey, but both his parents were Italian.
The Taormini Film Festival will host a tribute to the actor in place of a round-table discussion which James Gandolfini had agreed to take part in.
James Gandolfini and his family had spent a “beautiful day out together” in Rome before his tragic passing, according to the actor’s assistant, Tom Richardson.
According to Mike Sullivan, a close friend of James Gandolfini’s, Tom Richardson told him: “When they got back to the hotel, Jimmy went to use the restroom. And something happened in there.
“His sister said he was alive when they took him out in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.”
James Gandolfini’s first wife Marcy Wudarski, Michael’s mother, is said to have immediately booked a flight to Italy to comfort her son after learning of the actor’s death.
Marcy Wudarski and James Gandolfini were married for three years until they divorced in 2002.
James Gandolfini’s second wife, former model Deborah Lin, was with the star in Italy along with their daughter Liliana.
Deborah Lin and James Gandolfini married in Hawaii in 2008, and Liliana was born last October. After his daughter’s birth, James Gandolfini said he was “thrilled” to become a father for the second time.
James Gandolfini rose to fame playing a hitman in the 1993 film True Romance, and roles in films such as Terminal Velocity and Get Shorty followed.
However, it was not until his breakout role in 1999 in the hit television show The Sopranos that he became a household name.
James Gandolfini played the powerful mob boss Tony Soprano, whose stressful gangster and family life left him needing to visit a psychiatrist, played by Lorraine Bracco.
His compelling portrayal of the ruthless mob boss who suffered from panic attacks saw him win three Emmy Awards for the role.
The character apparently died in the series finale, although the audience was never shown the moment of his death, with the screen just fading to black instead.
Speaking to Vanity Fair about the ending, James Gandolfini said: “What the f***? I mean, after all I went through, all this death, and then it’s over like that?”
James Gandolfini’s managers Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders paid tribute to the star, saying in a statement: “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.”
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Actor James Gandolfini, best known for his role as a therapy-seeking mob boss in The Sopranos, has died at the age of 51.
James Gandolfini suffered a possible heart attack while on holiday in Rome, said HBO TV network.
The New Jersey-born star had been in Italy to attend the Taormina film festival in Sicily.
James Gandolfini won three Emmy awards for his role as Tony Soprano, a mafia boss juggling his criminal career and family life.
“It is with immense sorrow that we report our client James Gandolfini passed away today while on holiday in Rome, Italy,” said his managers, Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders, in a statement on Wednesday night.
“Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply.”
HBO also said the star of The Sopranos, which ran for six series on the cable channel from 1999-2007, would be “deeply missed”.
“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,” said its statement.
“He touched so many of us over the years with his humor, his warmth and his humility.”
James Gandolfini suffered a possible heart attack while on holiday in Rome (Photo: Getty Images)
James Gandolfini was born in 1961 in Westwood, New Jersey, to a school dinner lady and a bricklayer-turned-school caretaker, both of Italian background.
He graduated with a degree in communications from New Jersey’s Rutgers University.
Then he moved to New York, finding work as a bartender and a club manager.
James Gandolfini’s acting career took off in 1992 when he landed a part in a Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire.
His breakthrough role came a year later playing a mobster in the movie True Romance.
James Gandolfini’s more recent film credits included In The Loop, Zero Dark Thirty and Killing Them Softly.
He was nominated for a Tony theatre award in 2009 for his role in the Broadway hit God of Carnage.
James Gandolfini is survived by his second wife, Deborah Lin, a former model from Hawaii, whom he married in 2008, and their daughter, Liliana, born last year.
He also leaves a teenage son, Michael, from his first marriage to Marcy Wudarski, his former personal assistant. They wed in 1999 and split three years later.
The Sopranos creator David Chase said James Gandolfini was a “genius”.
“He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time,” he said.
“A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes.”
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