Jamie-Lynn Sigler is opening up about the quiet kindness James Gandolfini showed her during their years working together on “The Sopranos”—long before she publicly revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
Appearing on the “Question Everything” podcast with Danielle Robay on Thursday, July 9, the actress reflected on the unique bond she shared with her late costar, explaining that Gandolfini seemed to sense she was struggling even when she tried to hide it.
The Two Had a Sweet Bond
“From the beginning, I just felt like he always was watching me, but in a really beautiful way,” Sigler, 45, said.
Sigler was only 16 years old when she was cast as Meadow Soprano, the daughter of Gandolfini’s iconic mob boss Tony Soprano, on HBO’s acclaimed drama. The series aired from January 1999 through June 2007 and launched both actors into television history.
Looking back, Sigler said Gandolfini had a remarkable ability to notice when something wasn’t quite right.
“I can remember moments where I was in my own head, like kind of looking down at the ground,” she recalled. “I would come out of my haze and look around … he would be watching me.”
Although she believed she was doing a good job concealing what she was going through, Sigler now thinks Gandolfini could tell.
“He observed me and I didn’t share myself openly or honestly then. I thought I did a good job of hiding it but not to him.”
Rather than press her for answers, Gandolfini simply made sure she knew he was there.
“There were little just moments throughout the show where he would, you know, even just be, ‘You good, kid? You good, kid?’” she said.
Those seemingly simple conversations ultimately meant much more than she realized at the time.
“It was almost like he was laying the foundation work for me to eventually, when I was bubbling over and just needed to tell someone, him being the place to land because he had been watching me for so long and knowing that something was up — but too elegant to pry or push.”
She added, “He respected me enough to let me come to him.”
Gandolfini died in 2013 at age 51, but Sigler’s latest comments offer another glimpse into the compassion many of his friends and colleagues have long credited him with.
Sigler Has Been Open About Her Health Struggles
In recent years, Sigler has become increasingly open about her own health journey.
She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 20 but kept it private for years before publicly sharing her diagnosis in 2016.
Her experiences are detailed in her recently released memoir, “And So It Is… A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope,” where she reflects on both the challenges and personal growth that have come with living with the autoimmune disease.
“Living with MS has put me on a road of self-reflection and self-discovery. While it’s been challenging and heartbreaking, sometimes on the daily, it’s also been really beautiful,” she shared.
“In the process of writing this book and going back through things, I’ve discovered what it’s like to have compassion and be proud of myself, to have forgiveness for myself and others.”
She continued, “Having that hindsight view has allowed me to look forward with a lot of hope and faith. You start to see that the more you open up, the more you soften around your challenges, the more vulnerable you become, and the more help and love you’re able to receive.”
For Sigler, those lessons also include remembering the quiet support Gandolfini offered years ago—without asking questions, but always making sure she knew she wasn’t alone.
