Coroner's Office Confirms Gandolfini Died of Heart Attack; Family Releases Statement

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the coroner's office in Rome has confirmed reports that James Gandolfini died of a heart attack late Wednesday, June 19th at the age of 51.

The news was announced at a press conference hosted by the actor's family in Rome's Boscolo Hotel Exedra, the hotel where the Soprano's star had been staying with his 13-year-old son. A statement from a spokesman for the Gandolfini family read as follows:

"James came here on a vacation with his family... he had a wonderful day. He visited The Vatican and had dinner at the hotel with his son awaiting the arrival of his sister. Today we received the results of the autopsy, which stated he died of a heart attack, of natural causes. The autopsy further states that nothing else was found in his system.

We are all devastated by this loss. James was a devoted husband, a loving father of two children, a brother and cousin you could always count on. We thank you for the privacy you have afforded us during this difficult time."

Now that the results of the autopsy have been released, Roman officials can proceed with issuing a death certificate, enabling Gandolfini's body to be flown to the U.S. for burial. USA Today reports that the funeral will take place next week on Thursday or Friday in New York.

The actor had been traveling in Italy to participate in the Taormina Film Festival where he was scheduled to participate in a Master Class event on Saturday along with director Gabriele Muccino and actress Marisa Tomei. He was also set to receive a special award during the festival's final evening.

According to reports, Gandolfini's 13-year-old son found the actor in the bathroom and immediately called hotel officials. An ambulance arrived minutes later, however "lengthy efforts to revive the actor were unsuccessful." He was reportedly pronounced dead at 10:40pm local time Wednesday.

About James Gandolfini:

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.

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