James Gandolfini Online
James Gandolfini Online - An Unofficial Fansite
Trivia
At a benefit for the African Rainforest Conservancy, James was invited to name a newly discovered Tanzanian wildflower. Some suggestions included the Gandolpansy and Gandylion. He settled on naming it after the scientist who discovered it, Chamaecrista Mwangokae.
He's a big fan of motorbikes and owns a Harley-Davidson and a Vespa Scooter.
He keeps ties with his hometown of Park Ridge by supporting The Octoberwomen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research for his friends, Judy and Phillip DiBella.
His breakthrough role was his portrayal of 'Virgil' in Tony Scott's True Romance (1993).
For his role as Eddie Poole in 8MM, he met a variety of real porn directors and producers to get a feel for their line of work and to get a taste of their personalities. James is said to have loosely based his character on several of them.
In the film Crimson Tide, James played an officer on the U.S.S. Alabama. In True Romance, he beats up a woman named Alabama.
Was engaged to Lora Somoza in January 2004. They broke up, amicably, in February 2005.
Is good friends with former New York Mayor, Rudy Guiliani.
Trained in Krav Maga, an Israeli style of Martial Arts, which he practiced for several years.
Graduated from Park Ridge High School, Park Ridge New Jersey (1979).
Attended Rutgers University in New Brunswich, New Jersey, earning a B.A. in Communications in 1983.
He's an accomplished trumpeter and saxophone player.
He's 6'1" tall.
Turned to the right side of the law when he saw a woman being mugged in his native New York. Gandolfini plays Mob boss, Tony Soprano, so passers-by were shocked to see the tough-guy step in and rescue a woman when she was knocked down and had her bag snatched whilst walking down a dimly lit street. (November 2001)
Was voted best-looking in high school.
His sister, Johanna, is a prominent official with the New Jersey Family Court system.
Although he often plays thuggish or brute characters, he is actually somewhat of a pacifist off-stage; he had reservations about continuing his production contract as Tony in The Sopranos due to the show's violent content and stereotype of Italian-Americans.
Was in attendance at Chris Penn's funeral.
Named one of E!'s top 20 entertainers of 2001.
Originally cast in the Carl Hanratty role in Catch Me If You Can (2002) but had to drop out due to The Sopranos.
Helped launch a bar he and friend owned together called The Vine in Oneonta, New York in April, 2002 by pouring drinks and posing for photos.
Used to bartend in Manhattan during his years as a struggling actor.
He was a bouncer at the Rutgers Pub and went by the nickname Jimmy G.
Trade Mark: Plays characters who are brutish yet charming.
Lost more than 40 pounds for his role in The Mexican (2001), but had to gain it all back before shooting for The Sopranos because executives didn't believe the audience would like a skinny Tony.
Has co-starred with John Travolta in five movies: Get Shorty (1995), She's So Lovely (1997), A Civil Action
(1998), Lonely Hearts (2006) and the upcoming Taking of Pelham 123 (2009).
Has often said Robert De Niro played a considerable role in his decision to become an actor; grew up watching Mean Streets (1973) over and over again. 
Stage Deli: Across the street from The Late Show studio, this landmark plies midtown with behemoth sandwiches named after celebrities like Conan O'Brien (brisket) and James Gandolfini (roast beef, chopped liver and onions).
James Gandolfini and Aida Turturro, who play siblings Tony and Janice, played father and daughter in the film Romance & Cigarettes (2005). That film was written and directed by her cousin John.
Was married to Marcy Wudarski from March 1999 to 2002. They had a son, Michael.
Married former model Deborah Lin in her hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii. (August 30, 2008)
He has a Burmese mountain dog.
Once when he was researching for a role in a New York City morgue, he couldn't find any corpses. In fact, the following three days saw only one dead body of an elderly man in the morgue. Seeing the effect, the cops started calling him 'Jesus Christ' because no one would die in New York City.
It's usually risky putting baseball bats in the hands of "The Sopranos" crew, but Gandolfini and his co-stars refrained from bloodshed when one of the winners of a CharityFolks.com auction presented them with Louisville Sluggers to sign at a cocktail party at Fiamma. Gandolfini even gave his ultimate gesture of affection to a priest there - putting the reverend in a headlock.
When asked for his favorite sports movie, he picked Bull Durham.
James' family buys tires from Salvatore Travolta, whose son, John, was becoming a megastar thanks to a certain disco movie. Seeing the poster for Saturday Night Fever in the tire store, the young Gandolfini thinks, “If he can do it, I can do it.”
Studying the Meisner technique for two years, Gandolfini learns to control his anger and even manipulate it to his advantage. Before scenes, he bangs his head on things or stays up late the night before. “If you’re tired, every single thing that somebody does will piss you off,” he later jokes. “Drink six cups of coffee. Or just walk around with a rock in your shoe. It’s silly, but it works.”
Leaving bouncing work behind, Gandolfini supports himself in a number of odd jobs: a bricklayer (like his dad), a carpenter, a tree planter, a street bookseller. He also delivers seltzer for a business owned by a Hasidic Jew. The name of the company? 'Gimme Seltzer.'
In 1997, Gandolfini appears in the L.A. production of Remembrance, a drama about religious conflict in Ireland produced by Sean Penn and starring Penn’s parents. After that, Gandolfini won’t act onstage for over a decade—his career gets sidetracked by a little phenomenon called The Sopranos.
Personal Quotes
I'm a neurotic mess. I'm really basically just like a 260-pound Woody Allen.
I'm an actor... I do a job and I go home. Why are you interested in me? You don't ask a truck driver about his job.
I was voted best-looking kid in high school but, as you can see, things changed. I used to say I was a 260-pound Woody Allen. You can make that 295-pound now.
I just don't think I'm that interesting. I don't think what I have to say is that interesting. To hear me go blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I mean, who cares? - on why he rarely does interviews.
I thought, I've never been the lead before. They're gonna hire somebody else. But I knew I could do it. I have small amounts of Mr. Soprano in me. I was 35, a lunatic, a madman. - on his reaction to The Sopranos pilot script.
It does feel like the end this time. You learn so much about success, money and celebrity. It's been an incredible life lesson.
I would have Tony whacked and fed to the ducks. - on how he would end The Sopranos.
Fat men have sex, too. - when asked what is the legacy of The Sopranos.
It's been a great opportunity, but I don't have much trepidation about it ending. I think it's more than time. Part of the fun of acting is the research, finding out about other people. As much as I've explored this guy, I don't know what else to really do with him. I've been in one place for 10 years. That's enough. It's time for me to do other things. - about ending The Sopranos.
It's just a little odd for me, to get that slightly different treatment sometimes. And I'm uncomfortable with it. I want nothing to do with privilege. - on fame.
I went to Iraq because I was playing this tough guy on TV, and I guess I wanted to go meet a few real ones. - on visiting the troops.
It’s insanity, they’ve already let Trump build his big piece of crap down there , and now they want to destroy it (Tribeca) with the megagarage - reaction to the Dept. of Sanitation's proposed megagarage.
I'm surprised it's only half an hour! - on hearing of the Sopranos swearing tribute, The Sopranos Uncensored
I was glad to just be observing Hopper and Walken. We were crowded into this little trailer when Hopper gets shot, so everyone was offered earplugs. I remember Walken didn’t ask for any, so, being very cool, I didn’t ask for any either. I couldn’t hear for three goddamn days - on filming True Romance.
I very much love cigars. I went to Spain with a friend and that's where I discovered them. I hadn't really smoked them much before, but I found them incredibly relaxing. Now I'll smoke maybe three or four a week. I'll sit in the same place and not move for 45 minutes. It's a ritual I really enjoy.
My parents worked hard. They sacrificed a great deal to put three kids through college. And they've seen their three children become successful. They started from nothing when they came over here, so they have to be very proud.
For the record, Shrek and I are no relation - spots Shrek (from Shrek: The Musical) in the audience at the Tony Awards.
Others Quotes
The big question for me with Armando Iannucci’s In The Loop was not how Iannucci would handle the move from television to film (just fine, thanks), or whether those unfamiliar with The Thick Of It would be lost (doesn’t appear so at all, no), or how the Brit actors would bear up (brilliantly, thanks). Nope, my question lay with how the American end of the cast would fit into Iannucci’s world, particularly James Gandolfini, who was a rather surprising choice for this sort of rapid fire political satire. Well, in an extended promo that had me laughing hard from start to finish Gandolfini had the very best moments. So life is good on that front. Very good, indeed. -Todd Brown, Film News
Hanks, Gandolfini, what the fuck!?? - Kathy Griffin, during her acceptance speech at the Creative Arts Emmys, asking why they were there.
You don't have to be a brain surgeon to spot someone who's got that much talent. He's such a unique combination of charming and dangerous, and it's inherent in who he is. - Tony Scott recalling Gandolfini's audition for True Romance.
I'll never forget all the Iraqi men and women smiling in one town where Jimmy Gandolfini was playing soccer with a little Iraqi kid. It was a lovely moment, a movie moment. - Sopranos costar Tony Sirico on visiting the troops in Iraq.
Here's my guess, my official guess - I think there were two reasons. James Gandolfini was so compelling to watch. And also it's because the audience really didn't know what was going to happen next. - Creator David Chase on why The Sopranos was such a success.
You go into these TV things always worrying about the kind of egos you're going to encounter, but he just doesn't have one. - Sopranos costar Edie Falco on Gandolfini.
He's so humble a cat. I think it probably came from being a character actor all those years, and being very surprised, openly surprised to be cast a lead. If HE'S not acting like a diva, nobody better act like a diva. - Sopranos costar Steve Van Zandt on Gandolfini.
I had the greatest sparring partner in the world, I had Muhammad Ali. He cares what he does, and does it extremely well. - Sopranos costar Lorraine Bracco on Gandolfini.
It was very thrilling from the moment he walked into the rehearsal room; we were like, 'Shit, it's really him!' People would come up to him all the time asking for autographs and he never refused. He's a very gracious man. He even helped me with my lines for scenes he wasn't in. - In the Loop costar Peter Capaldi
I'd love to work with James Gandolfini. That would be very nice. I'm such an admirer. There are some wonderful actors working at the moment on Broadway. - Angela Lansbury
He's the most generous guy, works harder than any of us. You know, he's not Tony Soprano. He really isn't. - God of Carnage costar, Jeff Daniels
Inside The Actors Studio Questionnaire
Lipton: What is your favorite word?
Gandolfini: Pickle.
Lipton: What is your least favorite word?
Gandolfini: Whatever.
Lipton: What turns you on?
Gandolfini: My kid laughing.
Lipton: What turns you off?
Gandolfini: Greed.
Lipton: What sound or noise do you love?
Gandolfini: Someone close to me, belching.
Lipton: What sound or noise do you hate?
Gandolfini: Cars on a highway.
Lipton: Now the question that America is waiting to hear you answer. What is your favorite curse word?
Gandolfini: It's a Jersey one, it's fucking douchbag.
Lipton: What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Gandolfini: Environmental lawyer.
Lipton: What profession would you absolutely not like to attempt?
Gandolfini: An oilman.
Lipton: Finally, Jim, if Heaven exists what would you like to have God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Gandolfini: Take over for awhile, I'll be right back. (laughs)
