Chris Albrecht Recalls Staging Intervention for James Gandolfini in New Documentary ‘Wise Guy’
In the recently released documentary Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos, former HBO CEO Chris Albrecht opens up about a difficult moment with The Sopranos star James Gandolfini. Albrecht revealed that he once staged an intervention to address the actor’s struggles with alcohol, hoping to convince Gandolfini to enter rehab.
“We did an intervention at my apartment in New York,” Albrecht recalled. “The plan was to get him to go to a rehab facility. We’d had some tension by that time, and I invited him over under the pretense of clearing the air. But when he arrived and saw his family and others there, he said, ‘Aw, f— this,’ and told me, ‘Fire me,’ before storming out.”
Despite this moment, Gandolfini continued to carry the show through six critically acclaimed seasons from 1999 to 2007. His portrayal of Tony Soprano earned him three Emmy Awards for outstanding lead actor in a drama series.
Gandolfini tragically passed away in 2013 at the age of 51 due to a heart attack. Following his death, The Sopranos creator David Chase described the actor as a complex but immensely talented individual. “He wasn’t always easy,” Chase admitted, “but he was one of the greatest actors of his time.”
Reflecting on Gandolfini’s audition for The Sopranos, Chase noted in the documentary that it was immediately clear that Gandolfini was perfect for the role. “He thought he’d flubbed it, but when he gave it another try at my home, he nailed it. He was Tony.”
Gandolfini was also remembered for his generosity. Castmate Drea de Matteo shared how, after Gandolfini renegotiated his salary with HBO, he gave cast members $30,000 each out of concern that they hadn’t been aware of the opportunity to negotiate for higher pay. “None of us knew to negotiate, and I think Jim felt terrible about that,” de Matteo said.
Edie Falco, Gandolfini’s co-star, reflected on his character, adding, “He was a good-hearted, kind man who looked out for his friends.”
Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos is now available to stream on Max. Seasons 1 to 6 of The Sopranos are also available on the platform.
