- James Gandolfini
Infobox actor
imagesize = 220px
caption = James Gandolfini in 2006
birthdate = birth date and age|1961|9|18
birthplace =Westwood, New Jersey ,U.S.
birthname = James J. Gandolfini, Jr.
spouse =Marcia Wudarski (1999—2002)Deborah Lin (2008—present)
othername =
website =
emmyawards = Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
2000 - "The Sopranos "
2001 - "The Sopranos"
2003 - "The Sopranos"
goldenglobeawards =
2000 - "The Sopranos"
sagawards = Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
1999 - "The Sopranos"
2002 - "The Sopranos"
2007 - "The Sopranos"
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble - Drama Series
1999 - "The Sopranos"
2007 - "The Sopranos"James J. Gandolfini, Jr. (born
September 18 ,1961 ) is aGolden Globe , three-timeEmmy and five-timeScreen Actors Guild Award -winning Americanactor known for multifaceted portrayals of conscientious yet often inherently sinister characters. He is best known for his highly acclaimed role asTony Soprano in the hit HBO TV series "The Sopranos ", about a troubledcrime boss struggling to balance his family life and his career in the Mafia. Gandolfini's other notable roles include apornographer Eddie Poole in "8mm", woman-beating mob enforcer Virgil in theQuentin Tarantino -written thriller "True Romance ", a gay hitman in "The Mexican ", enforcer/stuntman Bear in "Get Shorty", and a martinetmilitary prison commander in "The Last Castle ". He also played James Goss in "Yemar" on theDisney Channel .Early life
Gandolfini was born in
Westwood, New Jersey , [http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/actor/james_gandolfini.shtml James Gandolfini] , hbo.com, accessedMay 22 ,2007 . ] the son of Joan, a school nutritionist, and James Gandolfini, Sr., a building maintenance chief atParamus Catholic High School . [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/08/entertainment/main2661341.shtml?source=RSSattr=Entertainment_2661341 This Is James Gandolfini, He's Not Tony, The Actor Behind The Sopranos Mob Boss Is More Like "A 260-Pound Woody Allen" - CBS News ] ] [ [http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=a0250ec4-1369-49dd-a20b-d54afce2d3fe James Gandolfini profile] , eonline.com, accessedMay 27 ,2007 . ] [Gandolfini has stated on a televised, "Inside the Actors Studio" interview, with James Lipton, that, at their jobs, his parents were the "lunch lady" and a janitor, respectively.] His parents, Italian immigrants and devout Catholics, spent part of their childhoods inItaly and often spoke Italian. [ [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9438456/James-Gandolfini James Gandolfini - Britannica Online Encyclopedia ] ] Gandolfini grew up inPark Ridge, New Jersey and graduated fromPark Ridge High School in 1979, where he played basketball and acted in school plays. [Rohan, Virginia. [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxOTMmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcxNTE5NDcmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3 "North Jersey-bred and talented too"] , "The Record (Bergen County) ",June 18 ,2007 . AccessedJuly 5 ,2007 . "James Gandolfini: Class of 1979, Park Ridge High School.... Basketball player; appeared in school plays, including "Arsenic and Old Lace."] He holds aBachelor of Arts degree in Communications, fromRutgers University , where he worked as a bouncer at an on-campus pub. [http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment_60/91c_james_gandolfini.html James Gondolfini bio] , askmen.com, accessedMay 22 ,2007 . ] Gandolfini also worked as a bartender and club manager before embarking on an acting career. Gandolfini was introduced to acting as a young man living inNew York City when he accompanied a friend to an acting class.Career
After acting on Broadway, Gandolfini established a film career. One of his better known film roles is that of Virgil, a brutal woman-beating mob enforcer, in the 1993 romantic thriller "
True Romance ". In 1994 film "Terminal Velocity", Gandolfini played Ben Pinkwater, a seemingly mild-mannered insurance man who turns out to be a violent Russian mobster. He also appeared in "The Juror " as a mob enforcer with a conscience. In "Get Shorty" he appeared as a bearded ex-stuntman with a Southern accent. He plays the mayor of New York in the 2009 remake of "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3". James Gandolfini returned to HBO in 2007 as the Executive Producer of the Emmy nominated documentary special Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq, his first project after “The Sopranos” – and the first production for his company Attaboy Films which was opened in 2006 with producing partner Alexandra Ryan."The Sopranos"
Gandolfini's most acclaimed role to date is that of
Tony Soprano , theMafia boss and family man in the multi-award-winning HBO series "The Sopranos ", which debuted in 1999. To date, he has won three Emmys for "Best Actor in a Drama" for his depiction of New Jersey Mafia boss Tony Soprano, an agingbaby boomer who constantly questions his own identity and purpose. Gandolfini eventually garnered $1,000,000 per episode in the series. "Entertainment Weekly " recently listed him as the 42nd Greatest TV Icon of All Time for playing Tony Soprano.Personal life
He considers himself a pacifist and has maintained reservations about continuing his portrayal of the violent mob boss. His sister Johanna Antonacci is the manager of the Family Division of the New Jersey Superior Court in
Hackensack, New Jersey . Gandolfini is a fan of motorcycles and owns aHarley Davidson and aVespa scooter. On May 4, 2006, Gandolfini was riding his Vespa when it was hit by a taxi, in traffic. He was forced to undergo knee surgery after the accident, postponing the filming of the final "Sopranos" episodes.He keeps ties with his hometown of Park Ridge by supporting The Octoberwoman Foundation for Breast Cancer Research. He appears at their annual October banquet and often brings other "Sopranos" cast members to help Octoberwoman draw large crowds. He currently resides in
New York City . He also bought a lot on theLake Manitoba Narrows, presumably to build a cottage. [ [http://winnipegfreepress.com/local/story/4056458p-4661208c.html Winnipeg Free Press ] ] Gandolfini married his girlfriend, former modelDeborah Lin , onAugust 30 ,2008 , in her hometown ofHonolulu ,Hawaii . [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN3050667020080831 Sopranos star Gandolfini weds in Hawaii: report] , accessedAugust 31 ,2008 ] They had been dating for about two years. This is Gandolfini's second marriage, having divorced Marcy Wudarski in December 2002. They had one child together.Filmography
* "
The Average Joe Fishing " (1987)
* "Tornado Lane " (1990)
* "A Stranger Among Us " (1992) as Tony Baldesseri
* "True Romance " (1993) as Virgil
* "Money for Nothing" (1993) as Billy Coyle
* "Mr. Wonderful" (1993) as Mike
* "Italian Movie " (1993) as Angelo
* "Angie" (1994) as Vinnie
* "Terminal Velocity" (1994) as Ben Pinkwater
* "New World" (1995) as Will Caberra
* "Crimson Tide" (1995) as Lt. Bobby Dougherty
* "Get Shorty" (1995) as Bear
* "The Juror " (1996) as Eddie
* "Night Falls on Manhattan " (1997) as Joey Allegretto
* "She's So Lovely " (1997) as Kiefer
* "12 Angry Men" (1997)TV movie as Juror #6
* "Perdita Durango " (1997) as Willy 'Woody' Dumas
* "Fallen" (1998) as Det. Lou
* "The Mighty " (1998) as Kenneth "Killer" Kane
* "A Civil Action " (1998) as Al Love
* "8mm" (1999) as Eddie Poole
* "A Whole New Day " (1999) as Vincent
* "The Mexican " (2001) as Winston Baldry
* "The Man Who Wasn't There " (2001) as Big Dave Brewster
* "The Last Castle " (2001) as Col. Winter
* "Surviving Christmas " (2004) as Tom Valco
* "All the King's Men" (2006) as Tiny Duffy
* "Lonely Hearts " (2007) as Charles Hildebrandt
* "Romance & Cigarettes " (2007) as Nick Murder
* "Kiddie Ride" (2008) as Bailey
* "Where the Wild Things Are" (2009) as (Wild Thing) (voice)
* "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" (2009) as The Mayor
* "In the Loop" (2009) as US Army General [ [http://www.timeout.com/film/features/show-feature/4903/set-visit-in-the-loop-with-armando-iannucci.html] ,accessed22 August ,2008 . ] [http://www.totalfilm.com/movie_news/news_james_gandolfinis_in_the_loop]Awards
References
External links
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*Persondata
NAME= Gandolfini, James R.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Emmy award winning Americanactor
DATE OF BIRTH=September 18 ,1961
PLACE OF BIRTH=Westwood, New Jersey
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=
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