While we have never covered him on our site, Refinery29 editors (and we would guess readers, as well) were deeply affected by The Sopranos. Or perhaps, True Romance, or Zero Dark Thirty. Or even Where The Wild Things Are, another one of James Gandolfini's works. Which is why the death of Mr. Gandolfini is particularly emotional — He wasn't just Tony Soprano, he was one of the greatest character actors of our generation, turning abrasive, one-dimensional figures into true humans. Always playing the tough but surprisingly sensitive role, the New Jersey-born actor passed away today in Italy of a heart attack when he was in Sicily for a film festival. As a site, and as people who enjoy both cinema and television, our hearts are broken — we've lost a great actor today. Our thoughts to his family, and of course, the fans of Gandolfini's films, too.
Photo: Everett Collection/Rex USA