 |
| Actor James Gandolfini (photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons) |
My current angry character, Honorine, in the play "Marius," (we're in rehearsals) could take a few tips from JG:
Mr. Gandolfini, who had studied the Meisner technique of acting for two years, said that he used it to focus his anger and incorporate it into his performances. In an interview for the television series “Inside the Actors Studio,” Mr. Gandolfini said he would deliberately hit himself on the head or stay up all night to evoke the desired reaction.
The New York Times, June 19, 2013
If you are tired, every single thing that somebody does makes you mad, Mr. Gandolfini said in the interview. “Drink six cups of coffee. Or just walk around with a rock in your shoe. It’s silly, but it works.”
Here's a fascinating interview with James Gandolfini produced by The Actors Studio. It shows a strong, complex man, who, even after all his amazing work in theater, film, and television, and while at the top of his game, seems humbled by the adulation in the room, sometimes hiding his face behind his hands, or lowering his head, and rubbing his eyes (to hide emotion?): http://youtu.be/F-p3XuCx5AI
Here's a round-up of information on how he died, from Wiki:
Gandolfini died suddenly on June 19, 2013 in Rome, Italy, during a brief vacation, as he was expected to travel to Sicily on June 22 where he was scheduled to receive an award at the Taormina Film Fest. Following a day of sightseeing in Rome in sweltering heat, Gandolfini was discovered around 10 pm local time on the bathroom floor at the Boscolo Exedra Hotel in Rome's Piazza della Repubblica by his 13-year-old son Michael. Michael quickly called hotel reception, who in turn called emergency paramedics.[19] Ambulance staff arrived around 10:40 pm and made efforts to resuscitate Gandolfini, who was still alive, at the hotel. Further efforts were made when he reached the emergency room; according to doctors, however, there was nothing they could do and he was already dead upon arrival. The time of death was 11:00 p.m., according to Dr. Claudio Modini, the head of the hospital's emergency room.[20] Gandolfini's wife, Deborah Lin, was not with her husband during his trip but was expected to travel to Rome to bring the body home with her.
An autopsy will be performed to determine the official cause of death, which doctors believe was likely a heart attack. The U.S. Embassy in Rome is required to issue a death certificate before the remains can be transported back to the United States.[21] According to Mario Sesti, the artistic director of the Taormina Film Fest, Gandolfini was "so happy to be in Italy, to reconnect with his Italian roots, and he was very excited to come here and receive this award." Sesti said that the ceremony will now become a tribute to Gandolfini's life and body of work.[22]
Many friends, co-workers, and celebrities publicly expressed their sorrow and condolences, as well as praise and memories of Gandolfini.[23][24] The Sopranos creator David Chase commented on his passing by saying "He was a genius. Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that. 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.' For [his wife] Deborah and [son] Michael and [daughter] Liliana this is crushing. And it's bad for the rest of the world. He wasn't easy sometimes. But he was my partner, he was my brother in ways I can’t explain and never will be able to explain."[23]
Some of James Gandolfini's major credits from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gandolfini
Filmography
Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Shock! Shock! Shock! | Orderly | |
| 1992 | A Stranger Among Us | Tony Baldessari | |
| 1993 | Italian Movie | Angelo | |
| 1993 | Money for Nothing | Billy Coyle | |
| 1993 | True Romance | Virgil | |
| 1993 | Mr. Wonderful | Mike | |
| 1994 | Angie | Vinnie | |
| 1994 | Terminal Velocity | Ben Pinkwater | |
| 1995 | Le Nouveau monde | Will Caberra | |
| 1995 | Crimson Tide | Lt. Bobby Dougherty | |
| 1995 | Get Shorty | Bear | |
| 1996 | The Juror | Eddie | |
| 1997 | Night Falls on Manhattan | Joey Allegretto | |
| 1997 | She's So Lovely | Kiefer | |
| 1997 | Perdita Durango | Willie "Woody" Dumas | |
| 1997 | 12 Angry Men | Juror #6 | |
| 1997 | Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | Diner cook | Uncredited |
| 1998 | Fallen | Lou | |
| 1998 | The Mighty | Kenny Kane | |
| 1998 | A Civil Action | Al Love | |
| 1999 | A Whole New Day | Vincent | Short film, included in Stories of Lost Souls |
| 1999 | 8mm | Eddie Poole | |
| 2001 | The Mexican | Winston Baldry | L.A. Outfest Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role |
| 2001 | The Man Who Wasn't There | Big Dave Brewster | |
| 2001 | The Last Castle | Colonel Winter | |
| 2004 | Surviving Christmas | Tom Valco | |
| 2006 | Romance & Cigarettes | Nick Murder | |
| 2006 | Lonely Hearts | Det. Charles Hilderbrandt | |
| 2006 | All the King's Men | Tiny Duffy | |
| 2006 | Club Soda | The man | Short film, included in Stories USA |
| 2008 | American Breakdown | Himself | Archive footage |
| 2009 | In the Loop | Lt. Gen. George Miller | Chlotrudis Award for Best Cast |
| 2009 | The Taking of Pelham 123 | Mayor of New York | |
| 2009 | Where the Wild Things Are | Carol | Voice |
| 2010 | Welcome to the Rileys | Doug Riley | |
| 2010 | Mint Julep | Mr. G | |
| 2011 | Down the Shore | Bailey | |
| 2011 | Violet & Daisy | Michael | |
| 2011 | Cinema Verite | Craig Gilbert | |
| 2012 | Killing Them Softly | Mickey | |
| 2012 | Zero Dark Thirty | CIA Director | Nominated – Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble |
| 2012 | Not Fade Away | Pat | |
| 2013 | The Incredible Burt Wonderstone | Doug Munny | |
| 2013 | Nicky Deuce | Bobby Eggs | |
| 2014 | Animal Rescue | In post-production |
No comments:
Post a Comment