On the tenth anniversary of his passing, James Gandolfini is getting honored by many who knew him along with fans across the world. Beloved for his Emmy-winning role as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos, among other memorable roles, Gandolfini sadly passed away on June 19, 2013. The actor, who was just 51 years old at the time, died of a heart attack days before he was set to receive an award at the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily. For those who loved him, the pain of the loss still stings after a decade, as noted by some of his co-stars from The Sopranos.
“Batman and Robin…my favorite picture of us,” Michael Imperioli said on Instagram, sharing a picture of himself alongside Gandolfini. “And I can’t help thinking where we ended up that night and what you said. That was one for the books.”
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He continued, “It’s so very strange that it’s 10 years today since you left us. Would love to have shot one more scene or had another laugh or one more late night chat. 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.”
Edie Falco also remembered Gandolfini in a new article about the late actor published by Vanity Fair. She remembers how, when they first met, she asked what she should call him, only for Gandolfini to say, “Whatever you want.”
“I called him Jim,” she says.
On working with Gandolfini, Falco also recalls, “He didn’t let himself get bossed around by a lot of the things that I let walk me around—this good-student mentality. I always had to get the lines just right and do the blocking exactly the same every time. And I would watch him, and he was following something…bigger. And deeper. If he had an impulse to say something a little different, or to change the blocking, he just did it. And I was jealous that he had somehow gotten permission from himself to do that kind of thing.”
Joe Pantoliano, who played Ralph Cifaretto on the show, can still remember his first day on the set working with Gandolfini. While there would often be friction between the characters they played, Pantoliano recalls how kind Gandolfini was with him going back to that very first day they met.
“My first day on the job was a scene between him and me outside of a pizzeria in New Jersey, and we had our niceties. And in between takes, he looked me in the eye and he said, “Listen, it’s an honor and a pleasure to be working with you,'” Pantoliano says. “It’s very hard for an actor coming into a show—a lot of actors are day players, or they’re on an episode with two scenes. But he always went out of his way to make sure that everybody was comfortable.”
Related: Best James Gandolfini Performances, Ranked
Michael Gandolfini Paid Tribute to His Father
Gandolfini’s son, Michael Gandolfini, would also become a part of the Sopranos family. He played a younger version of Tony, the same character played by his dad, in the prequel film The Many Saints of Newark. Just ahead of the 10-year anniversary of James’ death, Michael shared a Father’s Day post paying tribute.
“Happy Father’s Day Dad,” the younger Gandolfini wrote. “I love you. Today, tomorrow, and everyday. I miss you, I love you.”
You can stream The Sopranos on Max.
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