Former HBO executive Chris Albrecht has recalled the moment The Sopranos star James Gandolfini walked out of an intervention.
Albrecht recounted the incident in Max Wise’s new documentary series Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos, in which the writer and director reflect on the series by sharing insights into its writing, casting and iconic scenes.
“We did an intervention with him at my apartment in New York,” Albrecht said in the documentary. “The goal was to try to get him to go to a rehab facility. We had a lot of friction at that point, and the trick was I invited Jimmy in so we could talk and clear things up.”
Gandolfini had suffered from drug and alcohol addiction for years amid the pressure of leading the hit series.
Albrecht said those attending the intervention included Gandolfini’s sisters and some of his co-stars. “He walked in, saw everyone sitting there, and he was like, ‘Oh, shit.’ And he walked out.
“Everybody was like, ‘Jimmy, Jimmy!’ And he turned to me and said, ‘Fire me,’ and he walked out.”
Ultimately, Gandolfini led the show for six seasons from 1999 to 2007. Steven Van Zandt, who co-starred with Gandolfini as Silvio Dante, noted that the actor often threatened to leave the show.
“He probably quit the show every other day. Maybe every day,” Van Zandt said in the documentary. “Every other day we’d go to the bar and we’d have the same conversation. We’d be drunk and [he’d] say, ‘I’m done. I can’t, I’m not coming back.’ And I’d say, ‘Okay, you have a hundred people depending on you here.’ And he was like, ‘Oh, yeah, yeah, okay.’” His on-screen wife, Edie Falco, added: “He put so much into making that character believable, and unless you were really diligent, you could end up taking your work home with you. And as a As an actor, that’s not always a great idea.”
The Sopranos creator David Chase liked Gandolfini for his sour gangster persona. “He’s a really good guy and very complicated,” Chase said in Wise Guy. “You could say, and I’m not sure about this, maybe Tony’s there more than he wants to admit. It’s too easy for him.”
Gandolfini died of a heart attack on June 19, 2013, at the age of 51. Earlier this year, Sopranos actor Michael Imperioli wrote a heartfelt tribute to mark the 11th anniversary of Gandolfini’s death.
“Dear Jim, Thinking of you today as you’ve been gone for 11 years,” Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti, wrote on Instagram. “And your absence feels as strange and abrupt and unreal as that terrible day 11 years ago.
“Today I was thinking about going backstage after seeing you on Broadway in God of Carnage. This was 2 years after The Sopranos ended. You were so happy to be doing a play again after so many years away from the stage.
“You told me, ‘I feel like a real actor again.’ Now I know what you mean when the play I’m working on is about to be performed for the first time.” 130th! I wish you could see it… As time goes on, I get more and more proud of the work we did together. And the memories of all the fun we had and all the laughs become more and more precious. I wish we could do it again. Maybe we will.
“Thank you again, dear friend. Miss you. Love Michael.”
