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THE ACTORS STUDIO - JAMES GANDOLFINI - FACTS / ADVICE (RIP: 1961-2013)

We at the Filmmakers Studio express the loss of one of our most favorite and notable TV actors of all time with the passing of James Gandolfini who died at age 51 when his film career was really picking up some steam.  We may never find out what happens to Tony Soprano but what he has brought to that role to  help re-shape the face of cable TV shows will live in our hearts forever.

As a token of our good will we wish to present to you a look into his acting skill and story in his appearance on The Actor's Studio

Enjoy! 

FACTS

WON 3 EMMY'S 

A GOLDEN GLOBE

THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARD

3 TELEVISION CRITICS AWARDS

AFI ACTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

CREATED MEMORABLE PERFORMANCES IN TRUE ROMANCE,

 ANGIE, 

 GET SHORTY, 

NIGHT FALLS ON MANHATTAN,  

SHE IS SO LOVELY,  

A CIVIL ACTION,  

THE MEXICAN, 

THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE,  

AND THE LAST CASTLE. 

BORN IN WESTWOOD NEW JERSEY

PARENTS NAMES ARE SANTA AND JAMES . HIS FATHER WAS BORN IN ITALY IN A PLACE CALLED BORGOTORO AND CAME TO THE U.S WHEN HE WAS 2 OR 3 YEARS OLD. HIS MOTHER WAS BORN IN AMERICA AND MOVED BACK TO ITALY WHEN SHE WAS 6 MONTHS AND CAME BACK WHEN SHE WAS 20.  

ITALIAN WAS SPOKEN IN HIS HOME ONLY WHEN HIS PARENTS DIDN'T WANT HIM TO KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT SO IT WAS NEVER TAUGHT.  

HIS ITALIAN HERITAGE WAS ENFORCED QUITE STRONG IN HIS HOUSEHOLD.  

HIS FATHER'S PROFESSION WAS A BRICK LAYER AND MASON AND THEN HE BECAME 

THE HEAD CUSTODIAN OF A HIGH SCHOOL.  

HER MOTHER WAS THE HEAD LUNCH LADY OF A HIGH SCHOOL 

HE HAS TWO OLDER SISTERS LITA AND JOHANNA 

HE WAS A GOOD KID UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL

MEAN STREETS WAS ONE OF GANDOLFINI'S EARLIEST FILM INFLUENCES THAT HE HAS SEEN TEN TIMES AND LIKED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. 

HE ALSO ENJOYED THE  MOVIES OF ROBERT REDFORD AND PARTICULARLY LIKES HIM IN JEREMIAH JOHNSON, AND ORDINARY PEOPLE.

THE FIRST THING HE REMEMBERS SEEING WAS WEST SIDE STORY

HE ATTENDED PARK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL AND PERFORMED OK ACADEMICALLY

HE WENT TO COLLEGE BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ITALIAN BORN AMERICAN IN HIS FAMILY GOING TO COLLEGE.  HIS MOTHER INSISTED HE GO AND HE THEN ENROLLED AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY.

 THERE AT SCHOOL THERE WAS A FIVE KEG PARTY THERE AND WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS HE FIGHTING ABOUT?

HIS MAJOR IN COLLEGE WAS COMMUNICATIONS.

AFTER GRADUATION FROM RUTGERS HE CAME TO NEW YORK AND RAN A NIGHT CLUB CALLED PRIVATE EYES ON 21ST STREET. HE GOT A LOT OF HIS ACTING EXPERIENCE DURING HIS MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE THERE WHEN HE WAS ONLY 21 YRS OLD.  HE HAD NO CLUE WHAT HE WAS DOING BUT TOOK IN THOSE YEARS WATCHING THE STRAIGHT, GAY, AND LESBIAN CROWD FREQUENTING THERE.

WHEN HE WAS 25 OR 26 YRS OLD HE ATTENDED A ACTING CLASS HOSTED BY CATHERINE GATELY TEACHING THE MEISNER METHOD.

THERE HE MET A FRIEND NAMED ROGER BART WHO USED TO COME INTO PRIVATE EYES OCCASIONALLY  AND HAS BEEN ON BROADWAY AS WELL AS A STUDENT AT RUTGERS.

THERE HE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT TAKING ACTING CLASSES BUT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT JAMES NOR HIS FAMILY EVER DID.  ROGER KEPT PESTERING HIM TO GO TO THIS CLASS AND HE WENT TO THIS CLASS WHERE THEY WERE TEACHING THE MEISSNER TECHNIQUE. THERE JAMES  WAS SCARED TO DEATH AND SHAKING.   HE LATER ATTENDED THESE CLASSES FOR TWO YEARS AND LEARNED TO GET UP IN FRONT OF PEOPLE AND BE ABLE TO MAKE A FOOL OF YOURSELF. 

JAMES'S EARLIEST PLAYS 

BIG EL'S BEST FRIEND IS A PLAY  THAT  SUSAN ASTON TEACHER OF THE MEISNER TECHNIQUE CASTED JAMES IN ABOUT A WOMAN WHO THINKS SHE IS IN LOVE WITH ELVIS.  

TARANTULA'S DANCING IS ANOTHER PLAY DIRECTED SUSAN ASTON ABOUT TWO PEOPLE ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE WHO ARE OUT OF THEIR MINDS . HIS CHARACTER RETURNS WITH AN IRON AND HIJINX ENSUES FROM THERE. 

THE DANGER OF STRANGERS IS ANOTHER EARLIER PLAY OF JAMES GANDOLFINI THAT HE STARRED IN WITH SUSAN ASTON IN WHICH SUSAN'S CHARACTER LURES HIM TO A APARTMENT AND KILLED HIM. 

HE MADE HIS DEBUT ON BROADWAY IN WHICH HE LIVED IN A APARTMENT AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET HE KNEW A GAL SHE DATED THAT CONTACTED A CASTING DIRECTOR IN WHICH HE AUDITIONED FOR THE ROLE OF STEVE IN A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE WITH JESSICA LANGE AND ALEC BALDWIN.

HIS FIRST FILM WAS A STRANGER AMONG US. HE WAS PLANTING TREES WHEN HE GOT A CALL FROM SIDNEY LUMET THAT WANTED TO SEE HIM.

MANY PEOPLE BEGAN TO BECOME AWARE OF JAMES IN A MOVIE CALLED TRUE ROMANCE .

HE WAS CASTED AS THE ROLE OF VIRGIL WHEN HE AUDITIONED IN FRONT OF TONY SCOTT AND DID NOT HERE ANYTHING FOR THREE MONTHS. AFTER THREE MONTHS HE GOT CASTED FOR THE PART.

HIS MOST VIOLENT SCENE BETWEEN HIM AND PATRICIA ARQUETTE TOOK 5 DAYS TO COMPLETE. 

IN 1995 JAMES BECAME A MEMBER OF THE ACTOR'S STUDIO BY HIS OLD ACTING INSTRUCTOR SUSAN ANTON.


SHE TALKED TO ARTHUR PENN IN WHICH SHE SHOWED HIM JAMES'S WORK.  THERE JAMES DID A PLAY THERE CALLED ONE HIT WONDER.

WHEN JAMES WAS A KID IN NEW JERSEY HIS FATHER BOUGHT TIRES FROM THE FATHER OF JOHN TRAVOLTA. 

IN GET SHORTY HE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GETTING BEATEN UP TWICE BY JOHN TRAVOLTA.

ABOUT JOHN TRAVOLTA

"He's an incredible professional and mild mannered and when it came to beating time he was not attentive at all he's a real professional".  

ROGER EBERT WROTE ABOUT JAMES GANDOLFINI IN THE JUROR AS A PERFORMANCE THAT CAUGHT MY EYES AS JAMES GANDOLFINI AS EDDIE THE TEACHER'S SIDEKICK .

 IF THE MOVIE HAD BEEN PITCHED AT THE LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION AND COMPLEXITY THAT HIS CHARACTER REPRESENTATION IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT BETTER.

NIGHTFALLS ON MANHATTAN CAME TO JAMES WHEN SIDNEY LUMET CALLED HIM 

AND SAID HE WANTED HIM TO DO THIS.

ABOUT WORKING WITH SIDNEY LUMET 

"He rehearsted at the Ukranian Social Club on 2nd Avenue and he taped out and knew what the film was going to look like . He put tape on the floor and you rehearse the scenes and he likes to get it within the first 2 or 3 takes. You know your lines , you show up, and you be ready because you get two takes maybe 3 ".

JIM'S VIEWS ON WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GOOD FILM DIRECTOR

"Director is just an eye. If you trust the guy's eye you can do a lot of stuff and turn to him and he will help you pick .  A lot of the times you say to a Director "What if I try this or what if I do this?" and they will go "No, No. No".   You have to show them .  They are an eye that's looking at what fits and you have to trust that 

a good film director will know where things fit where your part fits".

JIM'S VIEWS ON WHAT YOU DON'T WANT FROM A DIRECTOR

"Bug you too much especially in the beginning for rehearsing.  They have to trust that you will get there when you need to be.  In films a lot of times  some directors will have everything already blocked out .  I personally don't like that.  I like being able to come into a room and if I want to walk over here or do this .  I find the best directors are willing because they know if you're doing something you will do it with more conviction ."

SHE'S SO LOVELY WAS JAMES SECOND APPEARANCE WITH JOHN TRAVOLTA. HE GOT CASTED IN THIS ROLE BECAUSE OF NICK CASSAVETES AND WAS CASTED WITH JOHN TRAVOLTA, SEAN PENN, ROBIN WRIGHT PENN,  AND HIS CHARACTER WAS PRINCIPALLY INVOLVED WITH ROBIN.

HIS THIRD APPERANCE IN A FILM WITH JOHN TRAVOLTA WAS AS AL LOVE IN A MOVIE CALLED A CIVIL ACTION.  THE MOVIE WAS A CHANGE OF PACE FOR HIM . NO VIOLENCE, NO MAN OF CONSCIENCE, A THOUGHTFUL MAN, 

JIM'S VIEW ON TRAVOLTA'S THEME FROM A CIVIL ACTION

"It was a true story that about an actual hero that he got to meet and play Al Love.  After playing so many dark characters to play a character like that and it felt like I could breathe a little bit again. It was really nice'. 

JIM'S VIEWS ON CHOOSING FILM ROLES 

"The writing, the writing, the writing.  If it's a good script you want to finish it. Sometimes you will get a good character and I need to find a point of view. Good actors have a point of view about things.  They have 

a point of view about who they are and what they want and what they want to say in a character. If you try 

to find something about what you want to say to me its telling a story about blue collar America "

AFTER A CIVIL ACTION HE WAS CAST AS THE ICONIC TV CHARACTER TONY SOPRANO ON WHAT BECAME ONE OF THE TOP TV SHOWS OF ALL TIME THE SOPRANOS.

HE GOT THE PART FOR TONY SOPRANO AND REMEMBER READING HIS PARTS AND LAUGHING OUT LOUD. HE ALMOST DID NOT WANT TO PLAY TONY SOPRANO AND THOUGHT THEY WOULD PICK SOMEONE DIFFERENT FROM HIM.

JIM SAW TONY AS SUAVE, GOOD LOOKING, MAFIOSO KIND OF GUY. AT THE AUDITIONS HALFWAY THROUGH THEM HE THOUGHT HE WAS PLAYING THE PART ALL WRONG AND STARTED TO DOUBT HIMSELF.  HE WANTED TO COME BACK AND RE-DO THE LINES AGAIN AND WAS GRANTED THE REQUEST BY THE CASTING DIRECTORS. 

JIM'S VIEWS ON PREPARING FOR AUDITIONS 

"They want to see you, they want something from you.  Don't try to please them but do it for yourself. "

JIM'S VIEWS ON THE CHARACTER OF TONY SOPRANO

"He says a lot about a lot of other people.  It's about a man in struggle.  He doesn't have a religion, doesn't believe in the government, doesn't believe in anything except his code of honor and his code of honor is all going to shit so he has nothing left. He's looking around and its that searching that alot of Americans go through from time to time.  He can go buy things and do whatever but the problem was he had no center left and I really identitifed with that and then you got to be funny on top of it. You got to say these wonderful words that people write that are so smart "

JIM'S VIEWS ON WHAT CAUSES A STORY TO BE ENJOYABLE AND HUMOROUS. IS IT THE WRITERS CONTRIBUTION, ACTOR'S OR BOTH

"Both. They write funny situations and I think a lot of the actors can do a lot with a look. Micahel Imperioli can do a lot with a look  Edie Falco can say volumes with a look. "

JIM ARTICULATES ON  MARLIN BRANDO'S QUOTE "I THINK THE ACTOR THAT SUFFERS  IS ALWAYS THE BEST CHARACTER IN THE PLAY. "

"Yeah I think that people feel powerless sometimes and Tony was one of them.  Here is a guy who has all of this power and his wife and mother can cut him down to size in about three seconds".  

MOST OF JAME'S ROLE FALL UNDER THE ROLE OF BLUE COLLAR.  HE HAS BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING " I LIKE TO PLAY PEOPLE LIKE MY PARENTS. LAWYERS AND DOCTORS DON'T INTEREST ME".

JAMES INTAKE ON HOW MUCH OF HIS ITALIAN UPBRINGING IS IN THE TONY SOPRANO PART

"My parents worked hard , were honest, and were good people.  I am standing on their shoulders because they worked so hard and enabled me to go to college. These are the kind of people that I love and what I want to show in movies is because I think they are getting screwed.  Ben Kinsley came on and said "We are storytellers" and we are storytellers.  Storytellers used to say " You don't this because of this and you see what happens to this guy in the story " and I think that's what I am trying to say in my story because I grew up in that atmosphere. "

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TONY AND DR. MELFI RESULTS IN SOME OF THE MOST FINELY CRAFTED DUETS IN TELEVISION HISTORY.

JIM'S VIEWS ON WORKING WITH LORRAINE BRACCO

"She's great. There are alot of times when you are working in a hour drama that you are working long hours. Especially the first few years when we were doing these scenes at Friday at 3 in the morning and they are long scenes  and you come in all cranky.  She would come in and she would be wonderful. She would calm you down, she would sit you down and we would work together much like the characters in the movie and that is what makes her a great actress. "

JIM'S VIEWS ON THE PSYCHIATRIST SCENES

"They help explain what is going on with the character especially in the beginning. I have a learned a hell of a lot from these shows just with these sessions with Doctor Melfi.  Also about myself, about anger, about a lot of things. There are smart people writing this stuff and I'm reading going "Wow"

JIM'S VIEWS ON TONY'S WEIGHT

"Actually it is important. When I do get thin which is not often but when it does happen I don't feel the same. I don't walk the same with that lumber  nor act the same".

JIM'S VIEWS ON OTHER MOB WISEGUYS ABOUT THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE PROGRAM

"Yes.  I find they often give me advice.  One of them was really upset he wore shorts in one scene and he reminded me that the Don never wears shorts. "

SUSAN ASTON IS CREDITED ON THE SOPRANOS AS JIM'S DIALOGUE COACH. 

"Susan is much a part of all of this Soprano thing as me it's 50-50.  We work 12-14 hours shooting scene after scene after scene and then come home but you got another day of it.  Seven to eight pages of it with four to five scenes.  This is everyday.  So you got to go home and memorize all of the stuff for the next day.  So Susan comes over and we sit down and go through it .  Then we will run through the lines to see if I have them or not and she will help me with that.  I will try to do it once or three quarters of the way and a lot of the times she's giving me great insight into things I would never even thought about.  A lot of the times we argue and a lot of times she tells me to calm down and stop being such an idiot.  I think she's brilliant and I wouldn't be anywhere without her and that's a fact". 

SUSAN'S VIEWS ABOUT WORKING WITH JAMES GANDOLFINI

"He's a deeply talented man. A good good man and I think that's what people see over and over in the characters that he plays. We break down almost every scene that he does on The Sopranos with all the prior circumstances and any question you could possibly ask. He's very clear about his intentions in every scene that he plays. It's not just a mistake his work and I'm very proud to work with him and be his friend".

JIM'S VIEWS ON THE THE SOPRANOS BEING  PRAISED AND CRITCIZED BY ITALIAN AMERICAN GROUPS 

"Come on you can't poke fun at yourselves.  What is that? You got to be able to poke fun at yourselves. in terms of the violence and things like that.  You are damned if you do and damned if you don't.  Oh they are making these monsters cuddly and nice and then we will do an episode with the stripper where we show what these guys are capable of and violence is too much.  Are you crazy? Its a depiction of these people. 

The violence turns my stomauch sometimes and there are some days when I'm like "Man" but its real.  These people hurt these people are in pain. "

JIM'S VIEWS ON A TYPICAL WORK DAY ON THE SOPRANOS

"You'll start Monday Morning usually 5:30 or 6 am and even earlier and you will go 14 hours. Because the actors have a 12 hour turnaround  you start at 8 the next day and then you will work to 10. Then you start 10 the next day and then you will work to 12.  They can work you later on a Friday night. So Friday you are usually there until 2 or 3 in the morning.  Sometimes we've seen the sun come up on Saturday.  On Monday morning you will start all over again.". 

IN THE MOVIE THE LAST CASTLE JAMES PLAYS A PRISON WARDEN THAT WAS A BIT ODD.

ROGER EBERT QUOTED HIS ROLE IN THE LAST CASTLE AS SAYING "REDFORD AND GANDOLFINI ARE TWO REASONS THE MOVIE PLAYS SO WELL.

REDFORD BECAUSE HE DOES WHAT IS EXPECTED AS A CALM, STRONG CAPABLE LEADER. GANDOLFINI BECAUSE HE DOES WHAT IS NOT EXPECTED AND CREATES NOW SIMPLY A VILLAIN BUT A PORTRAIT OF A TYPE THAT IS SO NUIANSCE ,.SO COMPELLING, SO INSTINCTIVELY RIGHT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE PERFORMANCE OF A CAREER".

JIM'S VIEWS ON HIS CHARACTER IN THE LAST CASTLE

"I thought it was a very good script when we first got it and to work with Robert Redford and I would have done anything. The script had a thing about the man who loved this scientist in the script and this was a man who used to study bugs. I got a lot of my inspiration from that and they took that out of the script. Be very wary when they give you a script and notify you of making any changes if you will just sign on in it.  Once you sign on you will get one later that is very different and you will be like "Ooh".

HIS NEXT FILM WAS THE MEXICAN AND ROGER EBERT REFERS TO HIS ONE OF HIS SCENES AS A " SCENE STEALING PERFORMANCE CONSIDERING THE MOVIE STARTS JULIA ROBERTS AND BRAD PITT. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT PETTY THEFT "

IN THIS MOVIE JAMES PLAYS A HOMOSEXUAL HITMAN.  DURING 3 DAYS INTO THE SHOOT JAMES GOES TO THE DIRECTOR AND DEMANDS TO BE RELEASED FROM HIS ROLE. 

"I didn't think it was going well. Some scripts you do this much backstory.  Some scripts to support things you have to do much more work than normal to get everything in. You need it I think. The times I don't do it or need it are the times I get on there and the camera goes on and I'm standing there and I feel like I don't have any pants on because I didn't do my work".

JULIA ROBERTS TAKE ON JAMES WANTING TO QUIT 

"He's a liar. He was genius from the moment he arrived."

ONE OF THE MANY SURPRISES OF THE MOVIE IS THAT BRAD PITT SPENDS VERY LITTLE TIME WITH JULIA ROBERTS IN A SPLENDID DUET WITH JAMES GANDOLFINI.

JIM'S VIEW ON WORKING WITH JULIA ROBERTS

"Smart. This is a smart lady who knows what you need. She knows what she is doing and the way she handles herself in the business and things is what I admire. I think she is a smart capable woman who has had a lot thrown at her and walks around with her head held high taking it and giving it right back".

JULIA ROBERTS VIEW ON THE MOVIE THE MEXICAN

"The beautiful thing about this script is that it has great conversation between people.  "

GORE VERBINSKI'S VIEW ON JAME'S PERFORMANCE ON THE MEXICAN

"He's Marlin Brando, he's literally that good.  There were times I would forget to say cut because I was so engrossed watching his performance because he is able to go to a place that is so real."

HIS NEXT FILM WAS AS THE ROLE AS BIG DAVE BREWSTER IN THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE.  THIS WAS ANOTHER FILM THAT TURNED THE TABLE'S ON CRITICS EXPECTATIONS OF HIM.

JIM'S VIEW ON ACTING WITH BILLY BOB THORNTON

"He's a very smart guy. He's interesting. He always gave me his lunch.  Came over to my trailer to give me his lunch and I found out later he went to the hospital because he was too skinny. I felt quite bad about that because  I was eating his lunch all of those days.

JIM"S VIEWS ON WORKING WITH THE COEN BROTHERS

"They are a great joy.  You can try anything and you will hear them laugh. It's like friends making a movie  Smart friends". 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WORD?

"Pickle"

WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE WORD?

"Whatever"

WHAT TURNS YOU OFF?

"Greed"

WHAT SOUND OR NOISE DO YOU LOVE?

"Someone who is close to belching". 

WHAT SOUND OR NOISE DO YOU HATE?

"Loud cars on a highway"

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CURSE WORD?

"Fuckin Douchebag"

WHAT PROFESSION OTHER THAN YOURS WOULD YOU LIKE TO UNDERTAKE?

"Enviornmental lawyer"

WHAT PROFESSION WOULD YOU NOT LIKE TO ATTEMPT?

"An oil man"

IF HEAVEN EXISTS WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR GOD SAY AS YOU REACH THE PEARLY GATES?

"Take over for awhile I'll be right back"

ENDING QUESTIONS

1. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU DO PERSONALLY TO TRY TO MAKE THOSE CHARACTERS 

ACCESSIBLE TO AN AUDIENCE LIKABLE, SYMPATHETIC BECAUSE TONY HE'S A CHARMING GUY . I WONDER IF THAT IS SOMETHING YOU DO CONSCIOUSLY? "

"Well we've talked about it. I think if Tony ever became some kind of a serial killer or did things for no reason that I think it would be a different story.  There are general reasons for what he does. If people are showing the reasons then you can understand it I don't think you would solve the problem in the same way. 

Some of the things I will use to get angry are lack of sleep, will piss you off to no end, and will sleep 2 to 3 hours a night before you have a violent scene.  Every single thing that anyone does will piss you off. I will do a lot of weird things like bang my head on things you do whatever you need to do. You can put a pet rock in your shoe, a very pointy one, and rock around with that all day. I mean its silly but it works. You're mad and slowly things become accessible to you .  I find I need to be alone .  I find I'm not the type who is going to be chatting a lot before I have to do something.  I will drink six cups of coffee and then you are mad. I will try anything to get where I have to go as long as it is not going to hurt anybody. 

2. BEING A MAN OF STATURE HOW HAS THAT HINDERED YOU OR NOT? 

" I don't think you have much choice.  For me its helped because I got picked for roles because if I looked like Peter Pan  I wouldn't get .  Don't worry about looking like a different person or anything .  I got this sexy thing  from the Tony Soprano thing and that happened when  I started wearing my underwear with my fat rolls hanging out. All of a sudden suddenly I'm sexy because Tony likes to fuck on the show. I think that is what is sexy about him.  You are you and just use what you have and that was one of the hardest things  I had to learn"

3.  COULD YOU GO INTO DETAIL ON HOW YOU APPLY THE MEISSNER TECHNIQUE WHEN YOU ARE WORKING ON A SCENE"

"The value of Meissner is listening , paying attention, looking at someone, and just going with them.  Instead of using the lines say something else to them. You can use it sometimes and then they will react and it will go from there. I will try to do different things and see what we can get. "