Julia Louis-Dreyfus Opens Up About Working With ‘Teddy Bear’ James Gandolfini

James Gandolfini will always be etched in the memory of most TV lovers as the iconic character, mobster Tony Soprano, in HBO’s The Sopranos, which got him three Emmy Awards. The actor began his acting career on stage, appearing in various Broadway productions before transitioning to film and television.

Gandolfini also appeared in numerous films throughout his career with roles in movies such as True Romance, Crimson Tide, Get Shorty The Mexican, In the Loop, and Zero Dark Thirty. However, shortly before his untimely passing in June 2013, the actor co-starred in the romantic comedy Enough Said where he played the role of Albert alongside actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus says she enjoyed working together with James Gandolfini

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Julia Louis-Dreyfus shared her experience of collaborating with the renowned Sopranos actor. The 62-year-old, who had no prior acquaintance with Gandolfini before meeting him on the production set of the film, reminisced about his stark contrast with the merciless mafia leader he portrayed throughout six seasons of the acclaimed HBO series.

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“He was a teddy bear. He was a tender guy, and so I’m very happy that he made this film,” Louis-Dreyfus confessed to the news outlet. “Not only because I got to work with him. But the public got to see him not as a mafia boss, but as somebody closer to himself — who was very vulnerable and very kind-hearted.”

Louis Dreyfus further explained that Gandolfini was hesitant to portray the character of Albert as he was not used to playing soft roles. “Jim was so nervous,” the actress admitted, “because it was outside his comfort zone in a way. But he’s extraordinary in it. I’m so happy people are going to see this aspect of him. It’s a gorgeous performance.”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus pays tribute to James Gandofini’s acting skills

During the interview, the You People star expressed admiration for her departed co-star’s exceptional acting prowess, drawing a parallel between him and the iconic Marlon Brando of The Godfather fame. “I would suggest that one of the reasons, among many, that he was so good at Tony Soprano was that that vulnerability was in place,” Louis-Dreyfus told VanityFair. “That made his character much more complicated and interesting to watch.”

Louis-Dreyfus expressed her profound shock upon hearing the news of James Gandolfini’s untimely passing due to a heart attack and she stated that it is still a struggle for her to accept his demise. “It was just brutal, just brutal,” she told VanityFair. “And very, very sad.”