Actor James Gandolfini's death from a heart attack on June 19, 2013 shocked many. He died
at the age of 51 while on vacation in Rome to attend the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily.
Tragically, that trip would be his last, and all that he had worked on in his illustrious
career would morph into a bittersweet legacy.
Gandolfini is best remembered for his role in the iconic HBO series "The Sopranos." He
played mob boss Tony Soprano on the show, which won him three Emmys, and according to
Deadline, the actor cashed out a million dollars per episode. After he died, HBO told the outlet
that it would honor Gandolfini's death with a card for an episode that aired on HBO Signature
at the time. The network said in a statement,
"We're all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of
our family. He was a 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."
Gandolfini's presence and contribution to TV commanded attention — something he repeatedly
reinstated with his role in "The Sopranos." Despite all the posthumous respect HBO showered
on him, they were apparently not very happy with the actor's habits, and were even concerned
about him before his death.
In the book "Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers," journalist James Andrew
Miller had much to share about HBO's journey with some of its iconic shows. Miller revealed
in the book that former Time Warner CEO and chairman, and HBO head, Jeff Bewkes, expressed
concern about James Gandolfini's health. Bewkes claimed,
"We were concerned about Gandolfini staying alive. Occasionally he would go on a bender
or a coke binge. We had to stop production."
He also explained how the show's productions were expensive and were often delayed. These
delays were challenging for the other actors and affected everyone's schedules. According
to Miller, Gandolfini would ensure that he'd always have something to keep himself engaged.
For instance, he would bring a few bottles of, quote, "good Italian wine" for the team
to drink before events such as the Golden Globe Awards.
The concerns were plenty, but former HBO chairman Chris Albrecht, who was also interviewed for
Miller's book, was less worried about Gandolfini's health. He revealed,
"I don't remember us being worried he was going to die, but he became a real problem
while shooting the show [...] It became a lack of respect for the other actors as well,
so there were sort of problems that bubbled up."
"What I've been through, it changed the way you think."
In his book, Miller revealed that Gandolfini was the, quote, "dominating and irresistible
star" for HBO. With everything the actor brought to the network, concern over his health and
behavior seemed inevitable.
Unfortunately, Gandolfini experienced several health complications that may have contributed
to his early death. One of them was obesity. According to a University of Glasgow study,
obese, middle-aged men are 60% more likely to die from a heart attack. Also, Gandolfini
was known to have struggled with cocaine and alcohol use in his early life, which increased
his chances of heart troubles.
Heart complications are a major cause of death in the United States, accounting for one in
every four deaths per year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
around 660,000 people in the U.S. die of heart disease annually. Globally, cardiovascular
diseases kill an estimated 17.9 million people each year. The leading causes of heart disease
and stroke include physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, and harmful use of tobacco and alcohol,
among others. One-third of these deaths occur in people under 70 years of age.
Gandolfini struggled with his eating habits. According to the New York Post, the actor's
final meal included at least eight alcoholic beverages. A hotel source told the outlet
in 2013 that he drank four rum shots, two beers, and two piña coladas at dinner with
his son. He had the drinks alongside fried king prawns and a large serving of foie gras.
The source noted,
"[E]verything [Gandolfini] ordered was fried. Obviously, that's going to cause problems
with your heart."
We may have lost Gandolfini too soon, but his work lives on.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please call the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Administration's 24/7 National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. That's 1-800-662-4357.