James Gandolfini, best known for his portrayal in "The Sopranos" has died aged 51 after a suspected heart attack while on vacation in Rome, Italy, according to several reports.
James Gandolfini was travelling in Rome and was slated to appear at the 59th Taormina Film Festival in Sicily, the Daily Mail notes.
"It is with immense sorrow that we report our client James Gandolfini passed away today while on holiday in Rome, Italy," said his managers, Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders, ABC News notes. "Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply. He and his family were part of our family for many years and we are all grieving."
James Gandolfini rose to fame playing a hitman in the 1993 hit "True Romance" and got his big break as Tony Soprano in 1999. He won 3 Emmy awards for the role during the show's 6 season run.
He is survived by his wife Deborah Lin and two children, Michael, 13, and nine-month-old daughter Liliana Ruth. Details relating to his death are still emerging.
"We're all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family. He was special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone no matter their title or position with equal respect. He touched so many of us over the years with his humor, his warmth and his humility. Our hearts go out to his wife and children during this terrible time. He will be deeply missed by all of us," said HBO in a statement.
"He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time. A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes. I remember telling him many times, 'You don't get it. You're like Mozart.' There would be silence at the other end of the phone," Sopranos" creator David Chase told TMZ.
