Gandolfini reactions flood the web. The death of James Gandolfini - the man who reinvented the gangster image on television with his portrayal as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos - cause shockwaves to ripple across the entertainment industry and even further afield, as social networking sites and blogs became over-run with tributes for the late actor.

Gandolfini will no doubt go down in history as one of television's finest actors, and will probably be remembered as one of the finest character actors to grace any screen, and the sheer rate of well-wishes sent on his behalf goes some way to cementing his legacy - which isn't bad for someone who only got into acting to keep a friend company and to pass the time. 

The man who recognised Jim's talent and gave him his biggest break of all, Sopranos creator David Chase, left a particularly heartfelt message when the news of his passing broke, and he spoke lovingly of his "brother" in the moments after his passing.

"[James] was a genius. He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time. A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes," the series creators said, adding, "I remember telling him many times, 'You don't get it. You're like Mozart.' There would be silence at the other end of the phone."

His fellow Sopranos co-stars have also given their own eulogies for the Italian-American actor, with co-star Joseph R. Gannascoli remembering; "James is one guy who never turned his back on me. He was the most humble and gifted actor and person I have ever worked with ... and I will forever be indebted to him."

His on-screen wife on the hit HBO series, Edie Falco, described Gandolfini as "a man of tremendous depth and sensitivity," acknowledging the lasting influence he had on his real-life family and his on-screen one. She continued, "My heart goes out to his family, as those of us in his pretend one hold onto the memories of our intense and beautiful time together. The love between Tony and Carmela was one of the greatest I've ever known." 

Upon his death Gandolfini leaves behind his wife, Deborah Lin, and two children, Michael (from his first marriage to Marcy Wudarski) and Liliana Ruth.

Some other reactions to James Gandolfini's death:







James Gandolfini Sopranos
Gone, but not forgotten

James Gandolfinin Cinemas For Peace
He will long be remembered as an acting great