James Gandolfini, who has passed away at only 51, had his major breakthrough in True Romance, the cult 1994 Quentin Tarantino-scripted crime drama. Although his performance is primarily remembered for his violent scenes with Patricia Arquette, the film also saw Gandolfini introduce the distinctive acting style he would hone and experiment with over the rest of his career. Even at this early stage, he was a formidable screen presence.

Gandolfini’s subsequent career was nothing if not diverse, having appeared in productions from a range of different styles and genres. In film, he was most often in his element playing supporting characters. His comic timing was particularly excellent, perhaps best illustrated by his role as a military general in the hilarious In the Loop (a spin-off of BBC political comedy The Thick of It):

In one of his more unexpected appearances, Gandolfini voiced Carol, the lead ‘wild thing’, in Spike Jonze’s strange but beautiful adaptation of classic children’s story Where the Wild Things Are. With his recognisably breathy voice, he brought a combination of humour, innocence, charm and sadness to the partially computer-generated creature. 

In recent years, Gandolfini continued to appear in a range of different films, from comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone to Sopranos creator David Chase’s feature debut Not Fade Away (released in America last year). He also continued to appear in a variety of stage productions, including a popular run in God of Carnage with Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis and Marcia Gay Harden.

Perhaps his most memorable recent role was playing ageing mobster Mickey in Killing Them Softly – returning to the Tony Soprano typecasting, perhaps, but bringing genuine unpredictability and humanity to an otherwise cold and clinical production:

Gandolfini had completed his work on two films currently in post-production, including crime drama Animal Rescue. There is no doubt, however, the role he will be most fondly remembered for – Tony Soprano, one of television’s most iconic, psychologically complex characters. Credibly jumping from amusing and charming to fragile and psychotic – often in the space of a single scene – The Sopranos' six seasons gave Gandolfini endless opportunities to show off his remarkable talents (clips below contain violence and strong language):

Of course, there’ll always be that controversial final scene of the series. It might be ambiguous, and its meaning continues to divide fans, but it’s a perfect illustration of how natural Gandolfini was in his most famous role - every bit as believable as a family man as he was as a dangerous mob boss. Fare thee well, James Gandolfini - stage and screen have lost a formidable, one-of-a-kind presence.