Not a Hoax! James Gandolfini aka Tony Soprano is Dead at age 51!

Infamous Boss Man, James Gandolfini has passed away suddenly.  The 51 year old actor was in Italy when he suffered from an apparent heart attack.  He was vacationing at the time in Rome.

This is not a hoax.  Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva is reporting the story as true.  She confirmed that Chris Albrecht, the person in charge of approving the Sopranos project for HBO, sent an email to Deadline  confirming the death,

Absolutely stunned. I got the word from Lorraine Bracco and just got off with Brad Grey who had just heard from David Chase. We had all become a family. This is a tremendous loss.

Gandolfini was born in Westwood, New Jersey and a graduate of my alma mater Rutgers University.  He is most noted for his epic role as Tony Soprano although he had some smaller classic roles such as the gay hit man in “The Mexican”.  Only an actor of Gandolfini’s caliber could make a middle aged, balding chubby man cool, scary, hip and sexy.  The man was a genius.

Gandolfini was set to headline a new HBO project  called Criminal Justice.  The actor had a net worth of $70 million dollars when he died.  Remember we are all on borrowed time, even a long life is short.  Make the most out of every day.

Rest in Peace James Gandolfini.  Time to dust off the Sopranos Season one, Episode 1.  Let the tribute begin.