The body of actor James Gandolfini has been flown back to the states for his funeral. The 51-year-old star of The Sopranos series died last week in Italy from a heart attack.
Flags in New Jersey will be flown at half-staff Monday in memory of Sopranos star and New Jersey native James Gandolfini.
Gandolfini died Wednesday in Rome at age 51. A family spokesman has said an autopsy revealed the cause was a heart attack, though authorities have not released the report.
The flag directive was issued Friday by Gov. Chris Christie. It says Gandolfini was an iconic actor who “left a timeless impact upon television and film in the state of New Jersey and across our nation.”
Gandolfini was born in Westwood. He grew up in Park Ridge and attended Rutgers, the state's flagship public university.
Christie has called the actor, acclaimed for his role as mobster Tony Soprano, a “New Jersey treasure.”
