A new book details some of the demons that “Sopranos” star James Gandolfini struggled with while filming later seasons of the iconic HBO series, including alcohol problems.
The three-time Emmy winner's personal problems have been widely reported, with HBO executives admitting they feared he might die from binge drinking and drug use before the series ended.
A new book by Mark Kamine, a location scout for the series, explores these issues in more detail in “On Locations: Lessons Learned from My Life On Set with The Sopranos and in the Film Industry.”
Kamine writes that his experience with Gandolfini — who died of a heart attack in Rome in 2013 — began to unravel in the show's fifth season.
The cast and crew remained at the Monmouth Park racetrack in central New Jersey to film the episode centered around Tony Soprano's horse Pie-O-My.
A new book details some of the demons that “Sopranos” star James Gandolfini struggled with while filming later seasons of the iconic HBO series, including alcohol problems
Kamine explains, “I'm at the hotel bar when the crew member closest to Jim asks if I want to go to Atlantic City with Jim and a few others.”
Atlantic City, as Kamine notes, is about 80 miles from Monmouth.
Kamine said he declined Gandolfini's offer and that “I won't be surprised the next morning if Jim can't be woken up.”
The location scout, who is now an executive producer of the HBO series “The White Lotus,” said Gandolfini's discomfort with fame led him to his darker impulses.
In one instance, Gandolfini didn't show up until he was four hours late, and all the while he was cursing his way through his half-learned lines, doing take after take, drinking coffee and bottles of water, alternately embarrassed and grumpy. That's how he always is he messed something up,” Kamine wrote.
Towards the end of the series, the owner of the famous “Soprano House” where the family lived in North Caldwell, New Jersey, began a conversation with Gandolfini, as Kamine had done many times before.
“Jim interrupts him and says, with more than a little regret, 'I'm really sorry, but my memory is pretty much gone and I don't remember who you are?'”
The author claims the owner was “hurt” and “shocked” by the insult.
The three-time Emmy winner's personal problems have been widely reported, with HBO executives admitting they feared he might die from binge drinking and drug use before the series ended
A new book by Mark Kamine, a location scout for the series, explores these issues in more detail in “On Locations: Lessons Learned from My Life On Set with The Sopranos and in the Film Industry.”
Kamine writes that his experience with Gandolfini — who died of a heart attack in Rome in 2013 — began to unravel in the show's fifth season
Kamine once said that Gandolfini became “increasingly unreliable,” to the point that HBO held him financially responsible when his tardiness or excesses caused filming to be delayed or canceled.
His delays sometimes angered his co-stars, as Kamine remembers Edie Falco – the legendary Carmela soprano of Gandolfini's Tony – reacting angrily to the news that Gandolfini would miss a day of filming with, “Are you kidding me?”
In contrast, Falco “was always well prepared, always had an amazing and spontaneous character.” She [was] “Nothing but an admirable presence on set for the entire duration of the show,” said Kamine.
It had a negative impact on Gandolfini, he claims.
“Jim seems in awe of and frustrated by her quick access to compelling emotion,” Kamine wrote.
“It often happens that he doesn't quite fit the role, cursing himself in the middle of the scene and asking the script supervisor to feed him lines.”
However, Kamine notes “Gandolfini more than anyone else.” [creator] David [Chase] does the show [what] It is because his expressive facial features, his rich readings and his menacing, reserved gestures create a large and consistent impact.”
For this reason and because of his genuine goodwill, the cast and crew have come to terms with the beloved star.
Kamine said that at one point, Gandolfini became “increasingly unreliable,” to the point that HBO held him financially responsible when his delays or excesses caused filming to be delayed or canceled
Kamine notes that “Gandolfini more than anyone else.” [creator] David [Chase] does the show [what] It is that his expressive facial features, his rich interpretations and his menacing, reserved gestures create a great and consistent impact.”
The location scout, who is now an executive producer on the HBO series “The White Lotus,” said Gandolfini's discomfort with fame led him to his darker impulses
After each week of filming, Gandolfini would order sushi for the cast and crew, and at the end of each season, Gandolfini would give the cast something usually worth hundreds of dollars, as well as custom engraved watches after the series finale.
Gandolfini was the intense and charismatic star throughout the series' run from 1999 to 2007, but struggled with alcohol and drug problems and died of a heart attack in 2013 at just 51 years old.
The actor's death saddened the world and caused an uproar throughout Hollywood.
At the time of his death, he was married to his second wife, the actress Deborah Lin, with whom he had a now nine-year-old daughter Liliane.
His son Michael, who was 14 when he found his father dead in a Rome hotel room, played a young Tony soprano in the HBO prequel film “Many Saints of Newark,” which hit theaters in October.
Michael, now 24, is the son of Gandolfini and his first wife, film producer Marcy Wudarski.