James Gandolfini, who starred as mob boss Tony Soprano in the HBO series “The Sopranos,” had a reputation for consuming alcohol both on and off the set.
According to Mark Kamine, who scouted locations and befriended Gandolfini while working on the show, the actor’s drinking habits caused him to miss shooting dates and become “increasingly unreliable” as the show progressed.
Kamine detailed his experiences working with Gandolfini in his new book, “On Locations,” revealing the actor’s drinking habits that often resulted in him showing up late and unprepared to set. Kamine said he believed part of Gandolfini’s behavior might be related to his discomfort with achieving so much success so quickly.
In his book, Kamine described Gandolfini’s behavior while filming scenes, including the actor’s self-directed rage when he struggled to remember lines, which included cursing and berating himself.
Gandolfini, who died in 2013 at age 51, had a well-documented history of struggles with drugs and alcohol which were detailed in a GQ article published around the time of his death. The article detailed how the grueling role of playing a sociopathic mobster had a punishing effect on the actor. Gandolfini’s widow had described increasingly serious issues with drugs and alcohol in divorce filings.
Kamine also touched on his own experiences when he attended Gandolfini’s funeral and spoke about the shock he felt upon hearing the news of the actor’s death.
In the end, Kamine still has a great deal of respect for Gandolfini and “The Sopranos,” recognizing the show’s enormous impact on the television landscape. He added that it was an experience that couldn’t have been predicted. Today, Kamine serves as an executive producer for “The White Lotus.”
This article is a reprint and was originally written by Stephanie Nolasco, as part of the entertainment coverage on Foxnews.com.
