This story first appeared in the July 19 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
Jim played a love interest for Julia Louis-Dreyfus. He played a divorced dad who doted on his daughter and was crazy about Julia’s character. He didn’t believe he could play a romantic lead, even though everyone on the set thought he was sexy and hilarious. He was charming and self-effacing and incredibly talented. Not only did he pull off playing a leading man, his performance is subtle and moving and very, very lovely. I just can’t believe it.
Read more tributes to Gandolfini below:
David Chase on the Last Time He Saw James Gandolfini (Q&A)
Jeff Daniels: James Gandolfini Pushed for ‘God of Carnage’ Raises
Chris Albrecht: James Gandolfini Stood With Cast in ‘Sopranos’ Contract Dispute
Marcia Gay Harden: James Gandolfini Helped Me Through My Divorce
Vince Gilligan: Without Tony Soprano There Would Be No Walter White
HBO’s Richard Plepler: James Gandolfini Had ‘Compassion for the Underdog’
Patricia Arquette: James Gandolfini ‘Slept in His Suit to Stay in Character’
Annabella Sciorra: Working With James Gandolfini Was ‘Once-in-a-Lifetime’ Experience
Drea de Matteo: James Gandolfini Was a ‘King Through and Through’
‘Sopranos’ Star Dominic Chianese Recalls Parisian Night With James Gandolfini
HBO’s Michael Lombardo: James Gandolfini Was ‘Ready to Jump’ Back Into TV
Edie Falco: Onscreen Love With James Gandolfini ‘One of the Greatest I’ve Ever Known’
Jamie-Lynn Sigler: James Gandolfini Made You Feel ‘Everything Would Be All Right’
Wounded Warrior Project Co-Founder Remembers James Gandolfini’s Charitable Side
‘Taxi-22’ Producer: James Gandolfini ‘Had an Unmatched Detector of Creative Integrity’
Roger Bart: Why I Encouraged James Gandolfini to Pursue Acting
