Body of James Gandolfini Returns to New Jersey

E! News confirms that the body of late actor James Gandolfini was flown from Rome to New Jersey, arriving at Newark's Liberty International Airport at 9:45 p.m. Sunday night. The actor's remains were then transported to the Robert Spearing Funeral Home in Park Ridge, N.J., arriving at 11:20 pm/ET.

The Sopranos' actor died of a heart attack last Wednesday at the age of 51. He was in Italy with his thirteen-year-old son to attend a film festival.

Yesterday, the HBO network confirmed in a statement that a funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 27 at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in upper Manhattan.

Last night, a spokesman for the family expressed their gratitude to Italian authorities for their help in getting Gandolfini's body back home in a timely manner. "On behalf of the Gandolfini family, I would like to thank the Italian authorities for all the assistance they have rendered in expediting the formalities necessary to repatriate James Gandolfini's remains to the United States," spokesman Michael Kobold said. "It has been our privilege to be guests in your beautiful country, despite the difficult circumstances. We sincerely thank you."