James Gandolfini was best known for starring as Tony Soprano in “The Sopranos” from 1999 through 2007. He won multiple prestigious accolades for the role and was widely beloved by fans.
Gandolfini tragically passed away from a heart attack while on vacation in Rome with his family on June 19, 2013. He was 51.
Even 13 years after his passing, fans still adore James Gandolfini and his iconic role. Now, a former guest star on “The Sopranos” is opening up about working with the late actor.
James Gandolfini Sent Gifts to Guest Star Sarah Shahi
Before actress Sarah Shahi went on to star in shows such as “Fairly Legal” and “Person of Interest,” she appeared in a 2007 episode of “The Sopranos.”
“Tony goes to Vegas to tell the girl that he was messing with that Christopher died and I was the girl. I was a Vegas showgirl [and] college student,” Sarah Shahi remembered her one-episode role while appearing on “The Bossticks” podcast, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
Shahi went on to detail how she and James Gandolfini shared an intimate scene together.
“I was on top of him and then we went to the desert and smoked peyote,” she continued. “He was incredible. He was a very troubled man, but the crew loved him.”
The actress remembered how James Gandolfini didn’t show up for the first day of shooting, causing havoc. However, he tried to make amends for his behavior.
“I went back to my hotel room and he sent me a dozen roses with a note saying like, ‘Sorry about today. Don’t be nervous cuz I suck. Love, the fat man,'” Shahi remembered.
Eventually, she met James Gandolfini in person.
“He’s like, ‘You get the flowers?’ and me thinking, you know, I’m a badass and trying to keep up with this energy,” Shahi detailed their first meeting. “I was like, ‘Yeah, what’s with that?’ Like, ‘Next time, send me something I can actually take back with me, like, Jimmy Chu, size seven.’ And again, I was just trying to match his energy.”
Much to her surprise, the shoes were waiting for her in her hotel room that evening.
‘The Sopranos’ Star Wanted to Make His Scenes as Realistic as Possible
Initially, Sarah Shahi admitted she wasn’t sure that she would have enough chemistry with James Gandolfini to make their scene believable.
“I remember thinking to myself, like how am I going to get turned on by this 47-year-old large balding man? Like, there’s nothing. How is this going to work for me? But oh boy did it work for me,” she remembered on “The Bossticks” podcast.
The actress detailed how she and James Gandolfini were so into the scene that their kiss often lasted long after the director said, “Cut.”
“One of the best, I have to say, kisses I’ve ever had,” Shahi shared.
While filming “The Sopranos,” James Gandolfini was fiercely committed to his work. This played out during their scene in the desert while their characters are trying mushrooms.
“He’s a very method actor. So, he wanted props,” she continued. “I think they actually had dehydrated mushrooms and he wanted them to put pepper on them or a lot of spice or just something, so when you put it in your mouth, there’s some kind of a reaction.
“The Sopranos” is currently streaming on HBO Max.
