STEWART & GANDOLFINI:
TWO OF A KIND
"She’s beautiful, but her intelligence seemed to leap off the screen."
~ James Gandolfini
UPDATE June 25, 2013: Kristen Stewart issued a statement regarding the death of James Gandolfini to Entertainment Weekly:
“When I heard of James’ passing I was in New Orleans, where we met shooting, and every memory flooded back and gutted me,” she tells EW in a statement. “I’ll hold that time near to me forever. He was immeasurably great. My heart goes out to his beloved family.”
“When I heard of James’ passing I was in New Orleans, where we met shooting, and every memory flooded back and gutted me,” she tells EW in a statement. “I’ll hold that time near to me forever. He was immeasurably great. My heart goes out to his beloved family.”
*******
One took a yellow cab to a major premiere after party while the other stopped to eat at a Hooters restaurant on a road trip across America with friends.
Fiercely private, loyal, shy, awkward in interviews, generous, admired by cast and crew. Although "tough façade" images have been created by the media, for those who have met them and know them say they are sweet and down to earth.
Just two ordinary people who got to share together the job they both love - acting.
Stewart talks to MTV News about doing press with Gandolfini
"Kristen Stewart is one of the mad ones. But mad in a beautiful way."
~ James Gandolfini
~ James Gandolfini
*****
On June 19th, the world lost one of the great actors of the day to a heart attack. James Gandolfini.
Called "Jimmy" by those who knew him, the burly actor who hailed from New Jersey, is mostly known to today for his infamous portrayal of mob boss Tony Soprano on HBO's critically acclaimed and award-winning television series - The Sopranos.
This week has been filled with tributes to Gandolfini, however, the tribute by Alt Film Guide is one which focused on the remarkable admiration Gandolfini had for Kristen Stewart.
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| Gandolfini, Stewart & Melissa Leo in WTTR |
In a rare interview, Gandolfini admitted to the New York Times (during the WTTR press junket) that he had not seen the film.
"Q. So, are you a big fan of “Twilight”?
A. Actually I’ve never seen it.
Q. Did you tell Kristen that?
A. Well, she didn’t ask. I don’t think she watched “Sopranos” much.”
Gandolfini was correct. Stewart had never seen The Sopranos only because she was too young to watch it when it aired. This led Stewart to have a different outlook on Gandolfini.
Stewart on Live with Regis and Kelly:
"Everybody was so intimidated by (Gandolfini), it was so weird. The director Jake Scott - I love the guy, he's incredible - he told us to basically try to have the dynamic that Mowgli and Baloo have in the Jungle Book. If you can imagine him being that and then being intimidated by him it doesn't really go.
"When (The Sopranos) first came out, it was a while ago. I knew him from movies. So I didn't have that (fear). I've seen it now!"
Would Kristen Stewart have been intimidated to know she was one of the reasons why Gandolfini joined WTTR?
"Q. So it was only the nonviolent script that attracted you to this?
A. I found out Kristen was going to do it. I saw her in “Into the Wild.” Some people kind of jump off the screen because they’re — actually, it had nothing to do with her beauty. She’s beautiful, but her intelligence seemed to leap off the screen. I thought, this is a smart young girl. And Jake Scott, I know his uncle — Tony [Scott] actually gave me my first big film [“True Romance”]. It was different from something I played before, and I thought the script had some humor in it. I have not seen the movie yet so I don’t know how much humor we kept, but I thought it was good and interesting and had a pretty good point.
*****
Alt Film Guide provides a quote (also tweeted by EB this week) from the "SAG Preview: Actors on Actors" Gandolfini wrote for Variety expressing his thoughts on Stewart's work in Walter Salles' On the Road.
"Kristen Stewart is one of the mad ones. But mad in a beautiful way. And she is determined to make people mad. To show them she is more than Bella in Twilight. To show them she does burn, and smolder, and wants more out of her career and life. And smolder she does.
As soon as she steps into the movie On the Road, you can’t take your eyes off her. As Marylou, whenever she fixes her gaze, you see someone who will go as far as she can, and do it as mad as she can, to live and feel alive. And it is sexy and scary and reckless and smart. She can play all of these things. She has them at her fingertips. She is just beginning. She is fearless. And that can be that good, and that can be very bad. But she is smart enough to handle it.
Stick around my friends, and there will be much, much more to come. Thinking about it, I am smiling already."
*****
Both Gandolfini and Stewart are the same in many ways. One thing is for sure, both admired each others' work.
In Mr. Gandolfini's case, we are lucky to get to cherish it forever...
Read: Alt Film Guide's "Mutual Admiration Society: Kristen Stewart and James Gandolfini".
Source/Source
Photo Source: Google Images;
Samuel Goldwin & Destination Films
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