Biography: James Joseph Gandolfini Jr. was born on September 18, 1961 in Westwood, New Jersey to Santa and James Joseph Gandolfini, Sr. He studied communications at Rutgers University. He became interested in acting at age 25, and he studied the Meisner technique for two years. He married Marcy Gandolfini, with whom he had his son, Michael. He then married Deborah Lin, with whom he had his daughter, Liliana.

Film/TV Credits: Film credits include: "Her," "Zero Dark Thirty," "True Romance," "The Drop," "Fallen," "Crimson Tide," "The Last Boy Scout," "Killing Them Softly," "Where the Wild Things Are," and "The Man Who Wasn't There." Television credits include: "The Sopranos," "Saturday Night Live," "Inside the Actors Studio," "Gun," "Angry Men," "Cinema Verite," and "Nicky Deuce."

Other Awards: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in "The Sopranos" in 2000, 2001, and 2003.

Trivia:
He produced the documentaries "Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq" and "Wartorn: 1861-2010."
The marquees of Broadway theaters were dimmed in his honor on June 26, 2013.