James Gandolfini in a scene from the film, ìEnough Said.”(Photo: Lacey Terrell AP)
Story Highlights
- James Gandolfini showed a softer side in the film ‘Enough Said’ before he died in June 2013
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus and writer-director Nicole Holofcener lead this exclusive video tribute to the actor’s touching performance
- ‘Enough Said’ comes out on Blu-Ray and DVD on Tuesday
Before he died last June, James Gandolfini was truly hitting his post-Sopranos stride. This was especially clear with his touching, vulnerable performance in Enough Said.
Co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus leads the tribute for Gandolfini’s performance in this exclusive clip from the film’s Blu-Ray and DVD release on Tuesday.
Playing a sensitive, middle-aged, single father in Enough Said was not what we were used to seeing from Gandolfini. But Louis-Dreyfus says that was nearer to the real man than his well-known role as the head of a New Jersey mafia family.
“I think this role is much closer to what Jim is,” says Louis-Dreyfus of Gandolfini. “He’s a dear, thoughtful, mild-mannered, sweet man very much like his character in the movie.”
The role was so different from Tony Soprano that Louis-Dreyfus says even Gandolfini was having trouble coming to terms with putting his Enough Said character out to the public.
“He could never really believe he was playing this part. He kept apologizing,” says Louis-Dreyfus.
Writer-director Nicole Holofcener adds, “He kept saying, ‘Do you want me to call Alec Baldwin, because he’ll do this.’”
But Gandolfini was perfect for the part, showing tremendous vulnerability and the right look.
“He looks like a real guy. A real cute one, but a real guy,” says Holofcener.
Even if Gandolfini has not received the awards love for the part (a situation that may change with the Oscar nominations this week), Louis-Dreyfus believes he nailed it.
“He was just perfect for it,” she says. “Just perfect. He’s an easy man to fall in love with.”
From www.usatoday.com