James Gandolfini Dies in Italy
Actor James Gandolfini, perhaps best known for his role as Tony Soprano, has died, ET has learned. He was 51.
Gandolfini's managers Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders confirmed that the Golden Globe winner passed away today, June 19, 2013, while on holiday in Rome, Italy. Reports suggest that his death came after a possible heart attack.
"Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply," Armstrong and Sanders said in a joint statement. "He and his family were part of our family for many years and we are all grieving."
HBO also released a statement, saying, "We're all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family. He was 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. He touched so many of us over the years with his humor, his warmth and his humility. Our hearts go out to his wife and children during this terrible time. He will be deeply missed by all of us."
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Gandolfini racked up three Emmy awards for his lead role on HBO's groundbreaking series, The Sopranos, which came along after being in the business for over a decade.
In addition to The Sopranos, Gandolfini appeared in about 50 other projects including True Romance, Get Shorty, 8MM, All the King's Men and Zero Dark Thirty.
The son of a bricklayer, Gandolfini was born in Westwood, New Jersey. After graduating from Park Ridge High School in 1979, Gandolfini went on to earn a BA at Rutgers University.
He is survived by his wife Deborah Lin, daughter Liliana and son Michael.