Marcia Gay Harden, Edie Falco, Matthew Warchus & More React to the Death of 'Masterful' Actor James Gandolfini

Tributes are pouring in to James Gandolfini, the Emmy-winning star of The Sopranos and Tony-nominated star of God of Carnage. The actor died of an apparent heart attack on June 19 at age 51 while on vacation in Rome with his 13-year-old son, Michael. (For an obituary, click here.) Below is a sample of reactions from Gandolfini's stage and screen colleagues:

Edie Falco, Sopranos co-star: "I am shocked and devastated by Jim's passing. He was a man of tremendous depth and sensitivity, with a kindness and generosity beyond words. I consider myself very lucky to have spent 10 years as his close colleague. My heart goes out to his family. All of us in his pretend one hold on to the memories of our intense and beautiful time together. The love between Tony and Carmela was one of the greatest I've ever known."

Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage co-star: “Goodbye to a champion of a man. We are all in shock. He was a great partner, a masterful and a loving, generous human being. My prayers go out to his family. He is loved by many and already missed.”

Jeff Daniels, God of Carnage co-star: “If Broadway has a version of a guy you want in your foxhole, Jim Gandolfini was mine. During our time together in God of Carnage, we played 320 performances together. He didn't miss one. Sadly, I now miss him like a brother.”

Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage director: “He was just so good at the emotion. A very passionate man and a very, very tender man. I really loved him and admired him a great deal—[he had] courage, sensitivity, passion, dedication.”

Steven Van Zandt, Sopranos co-star: “I have lost a brother and a best friend. The world has lost on the greatest actors of all time.”

Susan Sarandon, Romance and Cigarettes co-star: “So sad to lose James Gandolfini. One of the sweetest, funniest, most generous actors I've ever worked with. Sending prayers to his family.”

Kristin Chenoweth: “NO. Not James Gandolfini. He was one of my top 5 favorite actors EVER.”

Mark Ruffalo, The Last Castle and Where the Wild Things Are co-star: “Oh Jimmy. It’s a crying shame. You stormed in and out. Your voice like velvet granite. From a whisper to a shout. A comet of a man. So long.”

David Chase, creator of The Sopranos: “He was a genius. Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that. He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time. A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes. I remember telling him many times, ‘You don’t get it. You’re like Mozart.’ There would be silence at the other end of the phone. For [wife] Deborah and [children] Michael and Liliana, this is crushing. And it’s bad for the rest of the world. He wasn’t easy sometimes. But he was my partner, he was my brother in ways I can’t explain and never will be able to explain.”