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Former HBO Executive Reveals James Gandolfini Dared Him To ‘Fire’ During Sopranos Intervention
Former HBO CEO Chris Albrecht recalls a tense intervention he staged for The Sopranos' James Gandolfini to address the actor's struggles with alcohol. Here's everything you need to know.
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Former HBO CEO Chris Albrecht staged an intervention for The Sopranos star James Gandolfini
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Gandolfini defiantly challenged Albrecht to fire him during the intervention, then left the meeting
James Gandolfini's portrayal of Tony Soprano in The Sopranos captivated audiences for six seasons, but the actor struggled with personal issues offscreen. In the new documentary Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos, former HBO CEO Chris Albrecht talks about a moment when he staged an intervention to assist Gandolfini with his problems.
In Wise Guy, which premiered on September 7, Chris Albrecht talked about an intervention he staged to persuade Gandolfini to enter rehab for his alcohol problems, as per PEOPLE. The former HBO executive revealed that they had reached a point of tension, and he decided it was time to act.
“We did an intervention with him at my apartment in New York,” Albrecht said. “That was to try to get him to go to a facility for rehab. We’d had a lot of friction by that point.”
Albrecht explained that he invited Gandolfini over with the intention of clearing the air between them. However, when the actor arrived, he noticed something else was going on. “His sister and everybody were there, and he saw everybody sitting there, and he went, ‘Aw, f--- this.’ … He turned to me and he went, ‘Fire me,’ and he left,” Albrecht recalled.
Gandolfini was a key figure in The Sopranos' success, playing mob boss Tony Soprano for six seasons from 1999 to 2007. His performances on the show earned him many awards, including three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
The Sopranos' creator, David Chase, admitted that Gandolfini was not always easy to work with, but he was quick to praise the actor's talent. Chase said he wasn't easy sometimes but he was one of the greatest actors of this or any time.
Chase also shared Gandolfini's unique ability to express emotion. Chase said that a great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes. He remembered telling Gandolfini that he didn't get it and was like Mozart. The actor, known for his modesty, frequently responded in silence.
When The Sopranos was first developed, Chase searched far and wide for the right actor to play Tony Soprano. According to Chase, Gandolfini initially believed he had failed his audition. However, everything clicked when he was given a second chance at Chase's house.
That audition resulted in one of the most iconic roles in television history. Gandolfini's powerful performance catapulted him to stardom and helped establish The Sopranos as a groundbreaking show that shaped the future of television dramas.
Though Gandolfini's work ethic was sometimes demanding, his co-stars remembered him as a generous and caring individual. Drea de Matteo, who played Adriana La Cerva on The Sopranos, told a story about Gandolfini's generosity.
After securing a $1 million-per-episode deal with HBO, Gandolfini surprised his co-stars by handing out $30,000 checks to each. de Matteo said that when Jim got the agreement, no one knew it was on the table. They did not know how to negotiate, and maybe he felt bad about it, so he called them all into his trailer one by one and gave everyone a $30,000 check.
On June 19, 2013, James Gandolfini died of a heart attack. His death marked the end of a remarkable career, but his legacy lives on through his work, particularly his unforgettable performance as Tony Soprano.
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