Breaking News: ‘Sopranos’ Star James Gandolfini Dead at 51

Photo: Variety

This is terribly sad news. James Gandfolfini has died suddenly of a heart attack at age 51. The actor was reportedly in Italy for the Taormina Film Festival and vacation time. He was most infamously known for his role on HBO series, The Sopranos as head mobster Tony Soprano.

Gandolfini won three Emmy awards for his portrayal of the ruthless mob boss and emphasized that his role as Tony was closely related to his own life because he was a “loud Italian lunatic from New Jersey”. He most recently played a version of Leon Panetta, former Director of the CIA and Secretary of Defense, in ‘Zero Dark Thirty.’

Fellow Hollywooders have expressed their condolences on Twitter to pay tribute to the late actor. Among those, usual funny man Will Arnett writes a somber note reading, “So saddened by news of James Gandolfini’s death. What talent. He shall be missed.”  James is survived by his wife, Deborah Lin, and his two children. He will be greatly missed and his memory shall forever live on.

R.I.P James Gandfolfini