Gallopin\'d5 Gandolfini! As Sopranos Star Storms Past Press, Colleagues Praise His Performance in Coens\'d5 New Comedy

The New York Observer, September 4th, 2007

The New York premiere of John Turturro’s Romance & Cigarettes at the Clearview Chelsea West Cinema on Thursday, August 30, looked something like a Sopranos reunion: James Gandolfini, who stars in the movie, was there, as was Mr. Turturro’s cousin Aida, who played Mr. Gandolfini’s volatile sister on the HBO series that made him a star, and Edie Falco, who played his wife. Also an Agent Provocateur model wearing an itsy-bitsy pink nurse’s uniform and black patent pumps; Romance, a musical comedy produced by the Coen brothers whose cast also includes Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet and Mary-Louise Parker, has some decidedly racy themes.

“I think we’ll get over that Tony Soprano thing,” confidently said the black-clad Ms. Turturro, 44, going on to praise one particular facet of Mr. Gandolfini’s acting prowess. “With women he’s not intimidated; he knows how to relate to them. A lot of men just don’t know how to go there.”

Ms. Falco, also 44, looked striking in brown pants and a cream-colored blouse. Designer? “I don’t have the foggiest notion,” she said. Asked about Mr. Gandolfini’s future prospects, she said: “I don’t know, you know, I don’t know. Time will tell. A friend of mine was recently watching some of the movies he did before The Sopranos, and he’s a phenomenal actor, so we shall see. Hopefully people will give him the opportunity to do all kinds of stuff, because he’s certainly capable.” As for Ms. Falco herself, she said that she is entertaining a number of offers at the moment, but “reluctant to jump into something just to work.” We read ya loud and clear, honey!

It was over to Ms. Sarandon, still smokin’ hot at 60 in a wheat-colored dress with silver threads, exposed beige bra straps and bronze strappy sandals. “I don’t think he has any problems,” she said of Mr. Gandolfini’s career. “There’s something about James that’s like a bad 8-year-old. He can get away with being so naughty, but he’s so lovable, and so charming, and clearly loves women that you can’t really blame him.”

“He’s really sexy, isn’t he?” Mr. Turturro said. “Watch the movie and people forget [Tony] in a few minutes. He was nervous about certain things—like singing, big-time—but he did a great job, and I’d work with him again.”

Meanwhile, the man of the hour, wearing his more-or-less signature black short-sleeved button-down over black pants and black shoes, stormed into the theater without even stopping for photographers—though he did clutch a visibly stunned George Whipple of NY1 between his hulking hands, planting a kiss on his cheek.