Reknown actor James Gandolfini died at the young age of 51 in Italy, according to Deadline, where the actor was slated to attend the 2013 Taormina Film Festival in Sicily. James Gandolfini is most popularly known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano on the hit-HBO "The Sopranos."
"We're all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family," HBO said in a statement. "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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And while most people know James Gandolfini for his work on "The Sopranos," there is more to know about James Gandolfini than his portrayal of Tony Soprano. Here are six surprising things to know about James Gandolfini:
1. James Gandolfini was born in Westwood, New Jersey to a Roman Catholic family. He graduated from Park Ridge High School and attended Rutgers University where studied communications. In fact, he was in a 2001 commercial directed by Michael Imperioli for the Rutgers University football program.
2. James Gandolfini worked as a bartender and a bouncer in New York City until a friend introduced him to acting. He caught the acting bug and got his acting start on Broadway in 1992 with a role in "A Streetcar Named Desire" with Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin. He hit the big screen with "True Romance" in 1993 and his claim to faim is his work on "The Sopranos" in 1999.
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3. James Gandolfi has a 13-year-old son with ex-wife Marcy Wudarski. According to AP, Wudarski divorced the actor in 2002 claiming "abandonment" and accusing him of cocaine and alcohol addiction, gun possession, and a string of mistresses including a stripper.
4. James Gandolfi married Deborah Lin in Hawaii and the two have a daughter.
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5. James Gandolfini played the trumpet and the saxophone.
6. Watch James Gandolfini give a reading of Maurice Sendak's "In The Night Kitchen" below:
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