James Gandolfini Quotations

I'm an actor... I do a job and I go home. Why are you interested in me? You don't ask a truck driver about his job.

Standing in public in other people's clothes, pretending to be someone else. It's a strange way for a grown man to make a living.

It is a dark, dark world. If you're going to be in a dark world, I can't think of any better one to be in. I still think I'm very lucky to be in it.

Actors will say, 'My character wouldn't say that.' Who said it was your character?

Good writing will bring you to places you don't even expect sometimes.

I find it hard to relax. I live in New York.

I'm not a big, three-hour-play, Ibsen-revival kind of man.

Putting somebody else's pants on and pretending to be somebody else is occasionally, as you grow older, horrifying.

You know, all writers are vampires and they'll look around and they watch you when you're not even thinking they're watching you and they'll slip stuff in.

I just don't think I'm that interesting. I don't think what I have to say is that interesting. To hear me go blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I mean, who... cares?

I was voted best-looking kid in high school but, as you can see, things changed. I used to say I was a 260 pound Woody Allen. You can make that 295 pound now.

I lost 30 pounds to play my character in 'The Mexican', but people don't take to skinny mafia men, and I don't feel right when I'm thin.

I dabbled a little bit in acting in high school, and then I forgot about it completely. And then at about 25 I went to a class. I don't think anybody in my family thought it was an intelligent choice. I don't think anybody thought I'd succeed, which is understandable. I think they were just happy that I was doing something.

I've been very lucky, considering what I look like and what I do.

'The Sopranos' all came down to the writing. I wouldn't have been on for as long as I was if the writing weren't so good.

What they say about TV shows is true. You're really a family. You laugh, you fight, you get close, you know? Movies are shorter. They're over quicker. You don't form the same bonds.

Both my mother and father were very supportive of any career move any of us wanted to make.

I don't think I will do a Mafia character again. I want to get away from the violence a little bit, because it is starting to bother me personally.

People don't know and they shouldn't know that you work incredibly hard as an actor.

I'd love to live in New Orleans. I love the freedom of it - for good and for bad.

My father had a pat answer: I'm extremely proud of all my three children,

I was just supposed to say what I was supposed to say and get out.

I think there's a place Tony knows that if he goes to, he's not coming back, and that's the place. If you start killing family members, what's next?

I think everybody better support a raise for you guys. I think everybody should think about that. You pick up the phone, you call for help, nobody answers.

I was in bed, and I got the script and I was reading it, and I said, 'Man, this is really good, there's no way I'll get hired for this!'

It does feel like the end this time. You learn so much about success, money and celebrity. It's been an incredible life lesson.

You know, all writers are vampires and ... they'll look around and they watch you when you're not even thinking they're watching you and they'll slip stuff in.

Tony has mellowed a little bit, just out of necessity. He was driving himself crazy, so he has calmed down.

Contrary to his fictional role, Robert has consistently impressed me with his respect for others, ... Even if the press reports are accurate, it would be unfortunate if what is at most a momentary lapse in judgment results in a criminal record that could harm Robert's reputation and his opportunity to make a future for himself.

They all know that world so well. I ask for their opinions all the time and trust whatever they tell me about what I'm doing.

This is something different, something completely new. It is a much needed breath of fresh air.

I remember one time, we had someone come in who wasn't from the same background. I'm not going to say who. We all knew it wasn't going to work and it didn't. As for the rest of the guys, they all just really get it. I don't have to reach down and pull them up. Ever. If anything, they're holding me up.

I heard John was involved, which pretty much sealed it. And also on top of it, for once, I'm not the guy loosing my temper all the time. So I said this is a good change.

Honestly, the last break affected me detrimentally. It was long. I think your brain starts to eke out other places. I don't think I was horribly affected--I hope not. But it was long.

He told me one thing. But I think it's different now.

For once I'm not the guy losing my temper all the time.

I love doing theaters, cracking people up, hearing them physically roll in the aisles. But we need to get serious. These are serious times. No joke. No joke.

I have a little bit of a temper, but it's ... a useless temper, ... It doesn't accomplish anything, generally. It's just a lot of ranting and raving and nothing, so David (Chase) probably saw that and put it into the character.

I like idiotic comedies.

I have nothing but respect for HBO.

Those who want respect, give respect.

Part of the fun of acting is the research, finding out about other people.

I find I have to be the sad clown: laughing on the outside, crying on the inside.

All writers are vampires.

This is gonna sound stupid, but I saw at one point that our mothers are ... bus drivers. No, they are the bus. See, they're the vehicle that gets us here. They drop us off and go on their way. They continue on their journey. And the problem is that we keep tryin' to get back on the bus, instead of just lettin' it go.

I want nothing to do with privilege.

Work-do plays, learn your craft, and go to school. Keep working. Nobody is going to give you jobs for going to parties or any of that nonsense. Go out, look around, do things.

I've never worked with an actor that I did not like.

I just think its the changes that age brings. You slow down a little bit ... the writers are smart enough to write all those changes that life gives you.

I like the prop food so much that I eat it between takes as well as on camera,

The Sopranos all came down to the writing. I wouldn't have been on for as long as I was if the writing weren't so good.

You know my feelings: Every day is a gift. It's just, does it have to be a pair of socks?

I love hearing people laugh.