From all accounts including NBC’s Today show interview this morning with the manager of the Exedra Hotel in Rome: James Gandolfini suffered his heart attack in the hotel. His son called an ambulance but it was too late to revive him. Gandolfini was traveling with his son, as I told you first last night, and one of his two sisters. They were still in Rome and planning to travel to Sicily for the Taormina Film Festival. A press conference was held this afternoon in Rome as well, reiterating all of this.
Initially I was told last night that everything had happened in a restaurant with the son. But my scoop from last night stands. http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/06/19/james-gandolfini-dies-at-age-51-in-italy He collapsed in the bathroom and the door had to be knocked down. Either way. it’s a tragedy.
Some more statements today– from Edie Falco: “I am shocked and devastated by Jim’s passing. He was a man of tremendous depth and sensitivity, with a kindness and generosity beyond words. I consider myself very lucky to have spent 10 years as his close colleague. My heart goes out to his family. As those of us in his pretend one hold on to the memories of our intense and beautiful time together. The love between Tony and Carmela was one of the greatest I’ve ever known.”