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Posted today at 5:47am
 Vera Anderson/WireImage(NEW YORK) -- James Gandolfini, best known for his role as mobster Tony Soprano in the 1999-2007 HBO series The Sopranos, has died. He was 51.
ABC News confirms that Gandolfini suffered cardiac arrest in his room at Rome's Hotel Exedra. He was on vacation there with his teenage son, Michael, who called reception around 10:00 p.m. local time Wednesday (4:00 p.m. ET).
When hotel staff arrived they immediately called an ambulance. Gandolfini was still alive but unconscious when he was transferred to the city's Policlinico Umberto I hospital as paramedics attempted to revive him. He arrived at the hospital at 10:40 p.m., where resuscitation attempts continued for another 40 minutes, after which time Gandolfini was declared dead.
Though Gandolfini suffered cardiac arrest, his cause of death has not been officially confirmed. His remains were taken to the city morgue Wednesday night, where they will undergo an autopsy on Friday. Italian law requires a minimum 24-hour wait between death and autopsy.
After the autopsy, the U.S. Embassy will work with the morgue to bring Gandolfini's body back to the United States.
A statement from HBO reads:
We're all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family. He was [a] special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone no matter their title or position with equal respect. He touched so many of us over the years with his humor, his warmth and his humility. Our hearts go out to his wife and children during this terrible time. He will be deeply missed by all of us.
Gandolfini's managers, Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders, also released a statement:
"It is with immense sorrow that we report our client James Gandolfini passed away today while on holiday in Rome, Italy. Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply. He and his family were part of our family for many years and we are all grieving."
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Gandolfini won three Emmy Awards for his performance on The Sopranos. Last month, HBO ordered a seven-part drama series, Criminal Justice, with Gandolfini attached.
Gandolfini had numerous movies to his credit as well, most recently Zero Dark Thirty and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. He had been working on a drama titled Animal Rescue, which is scheduled for release next year.
His film resume also includes Crimson Tide, Get Shorty, The Mexican, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, and Killing Them Softly.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted today at 4:00am
 Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Colleagues and friends of James Gandolfini are paying tribute to the actor in the wake of his sudden death Wednesday in Italy. Gandolfini was 51.
David Chase, who created The Sopranos, the hit HBO series for which Gandolfini is best known, called Gandolfini “a genius.”
In a statement, Chase called Gandolfini “one of the greatest actors of this or any time."
“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,” Chase stated, adding that the loss was “crushing” for Gandolfini’s wife and children. “And it’s bad for the rest of the world. He wasn’t easy sometimes. But he was my partner, he was my brother in ways I can’t explain and never will be able to explain.”
Steven Schirripa, the actor who played mobster Bobby Bacala on The Sopranos, said in a statement: “Jimmy was a dear friend and like a brother to me. He was a great actor and a great father. I will miss him terribly. I am very sad.”
Lorraine Bracco, another Sopranos co-star, wrote that she was “utterly heartbroken."
“We lost a giant today,” she said in a statement.
And Jeff Daniels, who starred alongside Gandolfini in the Broadway play God of Carnage, said the actor didn’t miss a single one of their 320 performances together in the production.
“Sadly, I now miss him like a brother,” Daniels said.
Gandolfini was a New Jersey native, and the state’s Gov. Chris Christie called the actor’s death “an awful shock” in a statement Wednesday.
“James Gandolfini was a fine actor, a Rutgers alum and a true Jersey guy. I was a huge fan of his and the character he played so authentically, Tony Soprano. I have gotten to know Jimmy and many of the other actors in the Sopranos cast and I can say that each of them are an individual New Jersey treasure …,” Christie said.
The band Journey, whose hit song “Don’t Stop Believin’,” was prominently featured in the last scene of the final episode of The Sopranos, released a statement calling it “an honor to have been able to share one of the greatest moments ever in TV history with James Gandolfini. He was an amazing actor – taken way too young – and he’ll be missed. Our condolences go out to his family. Our condolences go out to his family.”
On Twitter, other celebrities continued to express their sorrow and send condolences to the actor’s family.
Shocked and saddened by James Gandolfini’s passing. My deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
— Michael J. Fox (@realmikefox) June 20, 2013
So sad to lose James Gandolfini. One of the sweetest, funniest, most generous actors I’ve ever worked with. Sending prayers to his family.
— Susan Sarandon (@SusanSarandon) June 20, 2013
James Gandolfini. This is a tremendous loss. A brilliant actor and a wonderful man. Our deepest sympathies to his family. Devastating.
— Michael Chiklis (@MichaelChiklis) June 20, 2013
Sad to hear about James Gandolfini . First met Jimmy back in ’94.He was roommates in NY with Lenny Loftin. Lovely man. RIP Jimmy
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) June 20, 2013
My thoughts and prayers go out to James Gandolfini’s family. An extraordinary actor. RIP, Mr. Gandolfini.
— Robin Williams (@robinwilliams) June 20, 2013
I’m truly heartbroken to hear that James Gandolfini has passed away. He is one of my all time favorite actors. Tragic loss.
— Jonah Hill (@JonahHill) June 19, 2013
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted today at 3:54am
 Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- Paula Deen has whipped up a frenzy on the Internet with her admission that she's used racial slurs in the past.
The celebrity cook known for her high-calorie recipes stated in a recent deposition -- the details of which were reported Wednesday -- that she's used the N-word multiple times. The deposition was related to a 2012 sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former employee of Deen's Savannah, Ga., restaurant against Deen and her brother.
According to TMZ.com, a lawyer asked Deen if she has ever used the N-word. Her response: "Yes, of course."
The 66-year-old Deen explained that she uttered the slur in 1986, when she was working as a bank teller and had been held at gunpoint by a black robber. She said she did not use the N-word in the presence of the robber, but "probably" when she was recalling the incident to her husband afterward.
When asked if she's uttered the slur since then, Deen answered, "I'm sure I have, but it's been a very long time." She added that she could not remember the context in which she said the N-word again.
She later testified that she "probably" uttered the N-word during "a conversation between blacks. I don't -- I don't know. But that's just not a word that we use as time has gone on. Things have changed since the '60s in the South. And my children and my brother object to that word being used in any cruel or mean behavior. As well as I do."
The Huffington Post offers additional details on the deposition. The website reports that when Deen was asked if she believes jokes that include the N-word are "mean," she said, "That's -- that's kind of hard. Most -- most jokes are about Jewish people, rednecks, black folks. Most jokes target -- I don't know. I didn't make up the jokes, I don't know. I can't -- I don't know."
Deen was also questioned on the planning of a wedding years ago, confirming she used the phrase “really southern plantation wedding," or something to that effect, in suggesting that black waiters be hired for the event.
The suggestion was based on an experience Deen had had at a restaurant that employed black waiters, though she insisted during the deposition that she did not utter the N-word to describe them because "that’s not what these men were. They were professional black men doing a fabulous job."
Predictably, Deen's remarks during the deposition were quickly picked up and mocked on Twitter and elsewhere on the Internet.
On Wednesday, Deen's rep released the following statement: “Contrary to media reports, Ms. Deen does not condone or find the use of racial epithets acceptable. She is looking forward to her day in court.”
Deen and her brother, Bubba Hiers, have been sued by Lisa Jackson, a former manager of Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House. Jackson has alleged that she was sexually harassed during her time of employment, and that racially-insensitive comments were uttered at the restaurant.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted today at 3:51am
 Ethan Miller/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The website BleedingCool claims it has obtained what it calls the first-ever casting notices for J.J. Abrams' upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII.
According to the site, producers are looking for, a "late-teen female, independent, good sense of humor, fit," as well as a "young twenty-something male, witty and smart, fit but not traditionally good looking."
Other key roles, according to the site:
- "A second young female, also late teens, tough, smart and fit."
- "Seventy-something male, with strong opinions and tough demeanour [sic]. Also doesn't need to be particularly fit."
- "A late twentysomething male, fit, handsome and confident."
- "Forty something male, fit, military type."
- "Thirtysomething male, intellectual."
Of course, Disney has yet to confirm any of this, so although BleedingCool say it's story is "100% confirmed," fans will need to take the news with a grain of salt. What has been confirmed is that Star Wars: Episode VII will open in May of 2015.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted today at 3:50am
 Michael Tullberg/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Rosie O'Donnell was reportedly all set to join her old pal and A League of Their Own co-star Madonna on stage for a Q & A in New York City Tuesday night, but a health scare scuttled the plans.
O'Donnell was to be on hand as Madge unveiled the concert film Madonna: The MDNA Tour, however, the New York Post reports O'Donnell pulled out "at the eleventh hour" when she received some frightening medical news.
"Rosie had a suspicious CAT Scan," according to a source, and she was forced to get examined before she was ultimately, "given a clean bill of health."
Madonna took the podium at the Paris Theater herself.
Added the spy, "You know it has to be a serious reason to stand up Madonna.”
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted today at 3:42am
 Angela Weiss/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- Spider-Man has lost one of his gal-pals for his next film.
The Descendants star Shailene Woodley had been cast as Mary Jane Watson for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which is scheduled to be released on May 2, 2014. However, the director of the film has announced that the scenes the 21-year-old actress has shot will be left on the cutting-room floor.
In a statement obtained by Deadline.com, director Marc Webb says, “I made a creative decision to streamline the story and focus on Peter and Gwen and their relationship. Shailene is an incredibly talented actress and while we only shot a few scenes with Mary Jane, we all love working with her.”
Emma Stone is reprising her role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man's girlfriend Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, with Andrew Garfield again playing the superhero. Mary Jane Watson will be introduced in the third Spider-Man film, due out in 2016, though it's unclear if Woodley will remain in the role.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Woodley -- a cast member of the just-concluded ABC Family series The Secret Life Of The American Teenager -- says she is "bummed" that she will be excluded from The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but adds that she is "a firm believer in everything happening for a specific reason. MJ only appeared in a few scenes and I wouldn’t trade the experience of working with Andrew and Emma for three days on set for the world. Based on the proposed plot, I completely understand the need for holding off on introducing MJ until the next film.”
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted today at 3:39am
 Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) -- It’s been almost a year since Katie Holmes filed for divorce from Tom Cruise just days before his 50th birthday, and a source reveals to E! Online that the actor has come to terms with the split and is "in a really good place.”
Asked about Cruise and Holmes' current rapport, the source tells E!, “They have a good relationship. Soon after the split, obviously they didn’t. But they have managed to mend their relationship for the sake of [daughter] Suri. Things are cordial right now."
The source adds that the Mission Impossible actor is ready to date again and “the likelihood is that he will probably end up with another actress” because they “understand his world better."
The source says the actor "works all the time and loves his work. He’s amazing, passionate and invested in it. So he’s never in one place for a long time.”
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 9:13pm
 MEHDI TAAMALLAH/AFP/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Miley Cyrus has never said publicly that she smoked pot, but in a new Rolling Stone interview she doesn’t exactly deny it either.
“I did a song with Snoop Dogg called ‘Ashtrays and Heartbreaks,’ so people can put it together for themselves,” Cyrus told the magazine.
“I think alcohol is way more dangerous than marijuana. People can be mad at me for saying that, but I don’t care,” the 20-year-old singer told Rolling Stone. “I’ve seen a lot of people spiral down with alcohol, but I’ve never seen that happen with weed.”
In 2010, Cyrus famously denied smoking marijuana after a videotape surfaced of her with a bong. At the time, she claimed it contained salvia, a legal hallucinogen.
Then, on her 19th birthday, she joked in another videotape that “You know you’re a stoner when your friends make you a Bob Marley cake.” Her rep later told Us Weekly it was all a joke: “The cake was a joke and Miley’s response was intended to be sarcastic.”
In the Rolling Stone article, Cyrus defended marijuana users as being laid back.
“As long as it isn’t illegal, there are far more dangerous things. And it’s legal in the state of California. So I’m happy to live in California, a place where you can be whoever you want to be.”
Neither Cyrus nor her rep responded to ABC News’ request for comment.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 5:17pm
 LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- It worked for Zach Braff and Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas. Now James Franco has turned to crowdfunding to bankroll a trilogy of movies.
Franco launched his campaign on June 17 to raise $500,000 through Indiegogo, a crowdfunding alternative to Kickstarter. Unlike Braff and Thomas, Franco doesn't plan on directing the films. He's raising the money so that a group of young filmmakers from New York University, where he attended the film program, can adapt his 2011 short story collection, Palo Alto.
"Because of who I am, people often believe that it is easy to find investors and distributors for my films," Franco wrote on his campaign website. "Unfortunately, things aren't that easy. More times than not, I have put in my own money to produce my films and my student's films. However, this time it's different. We need more funding, I will still fund part of it but I need your help, filming three feature films back-to-back requires more funding than I can give."
Levels of contribution range from $10 for copies of the screenplays to $10,000, which earns you dinner with Franco and an executive producer credit. As of Wednesday afternoon, the campaign had taken in just shy of $50,000.
Crowdfunding started as a way for independent, mostly unknown artists to appeal directly to the public to fund their film, book, album and more, but now a growing number of established celebrities are turning to crowd-funding for their next projects.
That's got some people crying foul. John Trigonis writes on the website Daily Crowdsource that stars are "saturating the pool with their somewhat unfair advantage -- celebrity."
By far, the biggest success comes from the creator of Veronica Mars who raised a record $2 million in a single day for a big-screen version of the TV series. Then again, being a cast member of the critically acclaimed TV series Girls did not help Zosia Mamet reach her goal.
The 25-year-old daughter of playwright David Mamet sought $32,000 in donations through Kickstarter to fund a music video for her band with 17-year-old sister Clara, but managed to only rake in $2,783 after 14 days. Perhaps Mamet was feeling the backlash that has been building against the celebrity Kickstarter bandwagon. "It's possible that people are getting tired of rich, young celebs asking for money on the Internet," Jordyn Taylor of the New York Observer wrote.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 2:54pm
 Doug McKenzie/Getty Images(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) -- Country singer Slim Whitman died Wednesday. He was 90.
Best known for his 1952 hit, "Indian Love Call," Whitman joined the Grand Ole Opry cast in 1955. He earned a string of top 10 hits between 1952 and 1971, including his final hits, "Guess Who" and "Something Beautiful (to Remember)."
Whitman was also a star overseas with his single "Rose Marie," spending 11 weeks at #1 in England in 1954. His song, "Closer to the Waterfall," was used in the 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and "Indian Love Call" was featured in the 1996 movie Mars Attacks!
Whitman was also widely known for selling his albums via telemarketing in the 1980s. That effort reportedly led to millions of album sales.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 2:30pm
 Frank Micelotta/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Paramount has released its first trailer to Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
Unlike the previous two teasers, the snippet gives a bigger peek of the movie's plot, when Will Ferrell's Ron Burgundy and the rest of his Channel 4 news team head into the 1980s and the 24/7 world of cable news.
Anchorman 2, which also stars Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner -- as well as series newcomers Kristen Wiig and James Marsden -- opens Dec. 20.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 10:52am
 Murray Close/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- Jurassic Park 4 is back on track.
Last month, production on the film was postponed, leaving its release date up in the air after it was originally scheduled to premiere in June 2014. Variety is now reporting that Jurassic Park 4 will now open sometime in 2015.
Executive producer Steven Spielberg, who directed the first two films in the dinosaur series, is said to be working on the script with director Colin Trevorrow and producers.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 10:50am
 Adam Rose/NBC(NEW YORK) -- NBC announced Tuesday it is moving forward with an hour-long documentary that will capture actress Valerie Harper's battle with cancer.
The 73-year-old Mary Tyler Moore Show star announced in March that she had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
NBC has yet to schedule an air date for the documentary, which will be hosted by Meredith Vieira.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 4:46am
 Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- It seems Charlie Sheen's reported feud with Selma Blair on the set of Anger Management has cost her her job.
Lionsgate, which produces the FX sitcom, announced on Tuesday, “We are confirming that Selma Blair will not be returning to Anger Management and we wish her the very best.”
The announcement came after TMZ.com reported that Sheen had told producers he would quit unless they began the process of firing Blair as soon as possible. TMZ reported earlier this week that Sheen was upset that she allegedly complained about his work habits to the show's executives.
To say that Sheen would have left a lot of money on the table had he quit the show would be a huge understatement. TMZ notes that he stands to earn between $75 million and $200 million if he completes the network's 100-episode order for Anger Management. He reportedly has taped approximately half that amount to date.
TMZ further reports that when Blair was approached by a photographer Tuesday morning regarding her job status, she answered, "I don't know anything." Well, now she does.
Deadline.com reports Sheen informed Blair of her firing by text message, and even called her the "C" word.
Blair played Kate, the therapist of Sheen's character, on Anger Management. According to Deadline, the role will not be recast.
As you'll recall, Sheen was fired from the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men in 2011 after repeated rants against the show's creator, Chuck Lorre.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 4:44am
 Hemera/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Ratings for The Voice are on the rise for its finale week.
The final performance show of the season for the NBC competition pulled in an estimated 12.3 million viewers on Monday night, according to Variety. That's an improvement of about 500,000 viewers from last week's performance show, but a smaller total than what The Voice enjoyed during the first half of the season.
The Voice crowned its fourth-season winner on Tuesday night.
The top-rated primetime programs for the week that ended Sunday were the third, fourth, and fifth games of the NBA Finals, televised by ABC. The fifth game between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs, played on Sunday night, drew an audience of 16.27 million viewers. The sixth game was held Tuesday night.
ABC won the network ratings race for the week, followed by NBC, CBS, Univision, Fox, Telemundo, ION Television and the CW.
Here are the top 10 primetime programs for the week of June 10-16, according to the Nielsen Company:
1. NBA Finals: San Antonio vs. Miami (Sunday), ABC, 16.27 million
2. NBA Finals: San Antonio vs. Miami (Thursday), ABC, 16.23 million
3. NBA Finals: San Antonio vs. Miami (Tuesday), ABC, 14.05 million
4. The Voice (Monday), NBC, 11.85 million
5. America's Got Talent (Tuesday), NBC, 11.52 million
6. The Voice (Tuesday), NBC, 10.66 million
7. NCIS, CBS, 8.67 million
8. The Big Bang Theory, CBS, 8.62 million
9. NCIS: Los Angeles, CBS, 7.43 million
10. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 7.14 million
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
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