Posted on May 3, 2024
| 21 minutes
| 4444 words
| Abbie Anker
James Gandolfini net worth is $70 Million
James Gandolfini Wiki Biography
James Joseph Gandolfini Jr., commonly known as James Gandolfini, was a famous American film and television producer, as well as an actor. To the audience, James Gandolfini is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano in the crime drama series called “The Sopranos”. Considered to be one of the greatest shows of all time, “The Sopranos” became a popular cultural icon, and is credited with helping shape the television industry in general, and allowing the television series to be thought of as an art form especially as “The Sopranos” is thought to have inspired the release of such series as “Rescue Me” with Denis Leary, John Scurti and Mike Lombardi, “Six Feet Under” created by Alan Ball, and “The Shield” starring Michael Chiklis and Glenn Close.
James Gandolfini Net Worth $70 Million
“The Sopranos” debuted on television screens in 1999 with a cast of Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco and Michael Imperioli in the main roles. Over the years, the show inspired much controversy and praise, and influenced the release of “The Sopranos: Road to Respect” video game, several books, popular soundtrack albums, and a lot of other merchandise. “The Sopranos” was well-received by both the critics, who claimed it to be the most groundbreaking television show, and the audience, as the average of viewership rose from 3.4 million during the first season to 8.2 million in its last season. Throughout its six season run, “The Sopranos” managed to win 60 awards, among them being Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Meanwhile, James Gandolfini secured himself a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series, in addition to other accolades. A famous actor, how rich is James Gandolfini? According to sources, in 2001, Gandolfini added a sum of $5 million to his wealth from appearing on Rod Lurie’s drama called “The Last Castle”. In regards to James Gandolfini’s net worth, it is estimated to be $70 million.
James Gandolfini was born in 1961, in Westwood, New Jersey, but spent his childhood in Park Ridge, where he attended Park Ridge High School. Gandolfini later enrolled in Rutgers University from which he graduated with a degree in communication studies. One of Gandolfini’s first movie roles was in “True Romance”, a romantic thriller where he played the character of Virgil. He then starred in such films as “Terminal Velocity” with Charlie Sheen, “Get Shorty” with John Travolta and Danny DeVito, and “She’s so Lovely” starring Sean Penn to name a few. Shortly afterwards, he landed the role of Tony Soprano in “The Sopranos”, which brought him the most mainstream success and critical acclaim. After “The Sopranos”, Gandolfini made appearances in “Hemingway & Gellhorn” with Nicole Kidman, “Nicky Deuce” directed by Jonathan A. Rosenbaum and “Enough Said”, for which he was nominated for several Boston Society of Film Critics Awards.
Unfortunately, James Gandolfini’s life was cut short in 2013, when he passed away from a heart attack in Rome, Italy. A famous and beloved actor, James Gandolfini has an estimated net worth of $70 million.
Full Name
John Gandel
Net Worth
$70 Million
Date Of Birth
18 September, 1961
Died
19 June, 2013
Height
1.85 m
Profession
Actor, Television producer, Film Producer
Education
Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey, Rutgers University, The Gately Poole Conservatory
James J. Gandolfini Jr. , Jim , James J. Gandolfini Junior , Gandolfini , James Joseph Gandolfini Jr. , James Joseph Gandolfini, Jr. , James John Gandolfini, Jr. , Jimmy
Primetime Emmy Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series,Satellite Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (1999, 2000, 2001)
Nominations
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (2000, 2001, 2003), AFI Award for Actor of the Year - Male - TV Series (2001), Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Dram...
Movies
“The Sopranos” (1999–2007), “Six Feet Under”, “The Shield”, “The Last Castle”, “True Romance”, “Terminal Velocity”, “Hemingway & Gellhorn”, “Enough Said”
TV Shows
“Rescue Me”, “The Sopranos: Road to Respect”
#
Trademark
1
Nasal New Jersey accent that grew deeper over the years
2
Large, chunky bear-like frame
3
Discreet smile
4
Frequently plays characters who are brutish yet charming
5
Best remembered as mob boss Tony Soprano from The Sopranos (1999)
#
Quote
1
[on his acting teacher] I destroyed the place you know, just all that crap they have on stage... and at the end of it... she goes "See, everybody's fine. Nobody's hurt. This is what you have to do. This is what people pay for. If you don't want to do it, get off.".
2
[on David Chase and the challenges of The Sopranos (1999)] By the end, I had a lot of anger over things and I think it was just from being tired, and what in God's name would I have to be angry about? The man gave me such a gift in terms of life experience, in terms of acting experience, in terms of money, too. At the beginning, David came to the set a lot, but once it got bigger and it became this thing, you know, he was a little more standoffish. He was harder to talk to. I understand that. The pressure that he had to continue to create, to continue to do great work, was hard. Everybody starts to want something, everybody starts to call, and this one needs this, and can we talk about that? And then there's money, and so you have to pull back and try to protect yourself in a way. I had to learn it and I wasn't very good at it. But then it starts to take its toll. The first couple of years, it was easier. It wasn't such a huge deal. I've said this to him, but maybe not so clearly. I got it. He had to be a little bit of the "Great and Powerful Oz". There was no choice.
3
We'd get accused, back then, of glamorizing mobsters, but we were all half miserable you know. I don't think the violence looks appealing at all. Everybody paid for it in a lot of ways. I heard sometimes that we were making cute, cuddly mobsters, but i know for a fact that David wrote an incredibly violent episode - the one where there's a stripper that Ralph Cifaretto beats to death - and I think that was written as a reaction to that. It's a very violent world and, you know, there's consequences. I think we showed it, and I think we showed the toll it takes on people.
4
I think you cared about Tony because David was smart enough to write the Greek chorus through Dr. Melfi. So you sat there and you got to see his motives, what he was thinking, what he was trying to do, what he was trying to fix, what he was trying to become. And then you saw it didn't really work out the way he wanted it to. If you took the Melfi scenes away, you wouldn't care about this man as much, or care about anything that was happening to him.
5
[on The Sopranos (1999) project] I read it. I liked it. I thought it was good. But I thought they would have to hire some good-looking guy, not George Clooney but some Italian George Clooney, and that would be that. But they called me and they said can I meet David Chase for breakfast at nine a.m. At the time, I was younger and I stayed out late a lot, and I was like, "Oh, for fuck's sake. This guy wants to eat breakfast? This guy's going to be a pain in the ass".
6
I dabbled a little bit in acting in high school and then I forgot about it completely. And then at about twenty-five I went to a class. I don't think anybody in my family thought it was an intelligent choice. I don't think anybody thought I'd succeed, which is understandable. I think they were just happy that I was doing something.
7
[on acting] It is an odd way to make a living. Putting someone else's pants on and pretending to be someone else is occasionally, as you grow older, horrifying.
8
I'm much more comfortable doing smaller things. I like them. I like the way they're shot; they're shot quickly.
9
[on his The Sopranos (1999) co-star, Edie Falco] I'm still in love with Edie. And, of course, I love my wife, but I'm in love with Edie. I don't know if I'm in love with Carmela or Edie or both. I'm in love with her.
10
[on the final episode of The Sopranos (1999)] When I first saw the ending, I said, "What the fuck?" I mean, after all I went through, all this death, and then it's over like that? But after I had a day to sleep, I just sat there and said, "That's perfect."
11
I watch stupid comedies. Role Models (2008). I love them. The Rocker (2008). I love that. I like idiotic comedies.
12
[on Tony Soprano, his character on The Sopranos (1999)]: I never think about him, ever.
13
I love hearing people laugh. Especially in New York, and especially now. To hear somebody out there just belly-laughing.
14
Like I always say, I'm standing on my parents' shoulders; they allowed me to do this silly job.
15
Alan Alda was with M*A*S*H (1972) so long, and now you see him, that's not there that much anymore. In my mind, you work hard, you'll be fine. Everybody's got their baggage.
16
[on ending The Sopranos (1999)] It's been a great opportunity, but I don't have much trepidation about it ending. I think it's more than time. Part of the fun of acting is the research, finding out about other people. As much as I've explored this guy, I don't know what else to really do with him. I've been in one place for 10 years. That's enough. It's time for me to do other things.
17
[on his reaction to The Sopranos (1999) pilot script] I thought, I've never been the lead before. They're gonna hire somebody else. But I knew I could do it. I have small amounts of "Mr. Soprano" in me. I was 35, a lunatic, a madman.
18
[on why he rarely does interviews] I just don't think I'm that interesting. I don't think what I have to say is that interesting. To hear me go, "Blah, blah, blah, blah.".
19
I was voted best-looking kid in high school but, as you can see, things changed. I used to say I was a 260-pound Woody Allen. You can make that 295-pound now.
20
I'm an actor... I do a job and I go home. Why are you interested in me? You don't ask a truck driver about his job.
21
I'm a neurotic mess. I'm really basically just like a 260-pound Woody Allen.
#
Fact
1
Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, Marcia Gay Harden and he were awarded the 2012 Back Stage Garland Award for Ensemble for "God of Carnage" at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
2
Very Press shy, he was known for often declining interviews. He believed that there were more interesting celebrities to interview.
3
James Gandolfini passed away on June 19, 2013, three months away from what would have been his 52nd birthday on September 18.
He was inducted into the 2014 New Jersey Hall of Fame in the Arts and the Entertainment category.
7
Despite having gained fame for playing brutal and violent characters, his friends and co-stars have said that he was the complete opposite in real life, being very thoughtful, soft spoken and all around nice person.
8
Was introduced to acting by his friend Roger Bart after accompanying him to a class.
9
Was very uncomfortable performing violent scenes on The Sopranos (1999) and would sometimes stop during the middle of shooting a scene when he was unable to continue.
10
Did not start acting until he was in his mid 20s.
11
Had an estate worth $70 million at the time of his death.
12
Was on vacation with his son at the time of his passing. He and his son were celebrating his son's graduation from junior high school.
13
On an episode of Inside the Actors Studio (1994), he mentioned banging his head against a wall, getting very little sleep, and putting a pointy rock in his shoe as techniques to get really angry while shooting The Sopranos (1999).
14
He first became interested in acting after attending an acting class with a friend, and subsequently studied the Meisner technique under Kathryn Gately for two years.
15
Was good friends with John Travolta. John's father sold tires to his father.
Was close friends with Karen Duffy since childhood.
18
Has two children: a son named Michael (born 2000) with his first wife, Marcy Gandolfini (nee Wudarski), and a daughter named Liliana (born October 2012) with his second wife, Deborah Lin.
Known to be a shy man, uncomfortable being a celebrity.
24
Nominated for the 2009 Tony Award for Best Performance for a Leading Actor in a Play for "God of Carnage".
25
Became close friends with his The Sopranos (1999) co-star, Lorraine Bracco, during the filming of the HBO series. During her close-ups, during their scenes, he would "moon" her to try and put her off. This was confirmed during James' interview on Inside the Actors Studio (1994).
Had often said Robert De Niro played a considerable role in his decision to become an actor, since Gandolfini had grown up watching Mean Streets (1973) over and over again. Fittingly, in et. 2013, HBO announced that De Niro had been chosen to replace Gandolfini in the television lawyer's role he had signed to play--the lead of the drama miniseries The Night Of (2016). It's slated for production in time to premiere in summer 2014.
30
Became engaged to Lora Somoza in January 2004. Broke up, amicably, in February 2005.
For his role as Eddie Poole in 8MM (1999), Gandolfini met a variety of real porn directors and producers to get a feel for their line of work and to get a taste of their personalities, and is said to have loosely based his character on several of them.
34
Once worked as a bouncer.
35
Was friends with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Well trained in Krav Maga, (an Israeli style of Martial Arts) which he practiced for 2 1/2 years.
42
Lost more than 40 pounds for his role in The Mexican (2001), but had to gain it all back before shooting for the HBO series The Sopranos (1999) because executives did not believe the audience would like a "skinny" Tony.
43
Used to bartend in Manhattan during years as struggling actor.
44
Financed the construction of a restaurant called Vines in Oneonta, New York for his childhood friend Clive Griffiths, who needed the money to launch it. Griffiths has since paid him back, and then some.
Television mobster Gandolfini turned to the right side of the law when he saw a woman being mugged in New York recently. Passers-by were shocked to see the tough guy step in and rescue a woman when she was knocked down and had her bag snatched whilst walking down a dimly lit street. [November 2001]
48
Although he often played thuggish or brute characters, he was actually somewhat of a pacifist off-stage; he had reservations about continuing his production contract as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos (1999) due to the series violent content and stereotype of Italian-Americans.
49
He played the trumpet and saxophone.
50
Attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
51
Attended and graduated from Park Ridge High School in Park Ridge, New Jersey (1979).
52
His sister Johanna is a prominent official with the New Jersey Family Court system.