RIP Tony Soprano

[FreshAIG]

James Gandolfini -- who famously played Tony Soprano on "The Sopranos" -- died earlier today in Italy ... TMZ has learned.

Gandolfini is believed to have suffered a heart attack. He was 51.

Gandolfini was in Italy to attend the 59th Taormina Film Festival in Sicily -- and he was scheduled to participate in a festival event this weekend with Italian director Gabriele Muccino.

Gandolfini shot to fame playing a hitman in the 1993 hit "True Romance" ... and quickly became a Hollywood legend when he was cast as Tony Soprano in 1999. He won 3 Emmy awards for the role during the show's 6 season run.

Gandolfini also appeared in a ton of huge movies including "Get Shorty," "The Mexican" and "Zero Dark Thirty."

We last spoke to Gandolfini in May in L.A. -- he was in great spirits, making funny faces and joking about a "Sopranos" movie.

James Gandolfini Dead -- 'Sopranos' Star Reportedly Dies in Italy | TMZ.com

I'm SICK right now

 

[Big Mel]

Shut. The. fukk. Up.


For real????

 

[ROFL_GUY]

 

[JulesWinfield]

Damn. RIP. This caught me completely off guard.

 

[FreshAIG]

Shut. The. fukk. Up.


For real????

I'm depressed right now

 

[Big Mel]

Not my man Rigatone!!!

 

[Bugsmoran]

wow R.I.P


was just thinkin bout the movie True Romance


one of the greatest fight scenes of all time

[ame=http://youtu.be/p_pbN8BmWk0]Corkscrew in True Romance - YouTube[/ame]

 

[diggy]

my nikka was hilarious in Burt Wonderstone


rip

 

[MrGovan]

R.I.P.

 

[Dank Hill]

rip

and i've been on a soprano watching binge lately (first time watching)

 

[SubZeroDegrees]

If TMZ reported it, then it's real.

 

[A.J.Soprano]

STOP WITH THE LIES BREH


MY DAD IS STILL ALIVE

 

[Dada]

RIP

 

[West Coast Avenger]

heart attack in Italy...............R.I.P..................

.........

 

[JuvenileHell]

RIP....

...and I feel bad for laughing at the "Was he whacked?" posts in the comments section