Brad Pitt 'Gutted By the Loss' of Actor James Gandolfini

Brad Pitt, who co-starred in three films with the late James Gandolfini, including 1993's True Romance, 2001's The Mexican and last year's Killing Them Softly, commented on the tragic death of the actor today.

In a released statement to his fellow actors, Pitt shared, "I admire Jimmy as a ferocious actor, a gentle soul and a genuinely funny man. I am fortunate to have sat across the table from him and am gutted by this loss. I Wish his family strength and some semblance of peace."

James Gandolfini, who is most known for starring in the HBO hit "The Sopranos", died yesterday in Italy, according to multiple sources. He was 51. The cause is rumored to be a heart attack but no details have been confirmed. The actor was in Italy for the 59th Taormina Film Festival in Sicily, where he was set to join director Gabriele Muccino for a festival event.

Gandolfini's big break came in 1993 with the film True Romance, followed by his iconic portrayal of 'Tony Soprano' beginning in 1999, a role for which he won three Emmy Awards.

Big screen credits include the upcoming Animal Rescue, as well as The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Zero Dark Thirty, In the Loop, All the King's Men, The Mexican, Fallen, 12 Angry Men, Get Shortly, and more.

Gandolfini appeared on Broadway in God of Carnage for which he was Tony-nominated in 2009, and then reprised the role in 2011 in LA. He also appeared in On the Waterfront and made his Broadway debut with Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin in A Streetcar Named Desire.

He is survived by his wife Deborah Lin, his teenage son and baby daughter.