Billy Farrell/BFAnyc/Sipa PressJames Gandolfini left an indelible mark on the many people fortunate enough to have worked with him and who bore witness to his inimitable body of work.
And as the entertainment world reels from the shocking news of his sudden death in Rome Wednesday at the age of 51, his costars continue to pay tribute to Gandolfini's generous spirit and celebrate his oeuvre.
One of those acclaimed projects was Broadway's God of Carnage, the hit stage farce that netted Gandolfini a Tony nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, and his fellow castmembers fondly remember their beloved friend.
"Goodbye to a champion of a man," costar Marcia Gay Harden said in a statement.
"We are all in shock. He was a great partner, a masterful actor and a loving, generous human being. My prayers go out to his family. He is loved by many and already missed."
Meanwhile, Jeff Daniels, who also acted opposite Gandolfini in the intimate, four-person play, remembered the actor's unwavering work ethic.
"If Broadway has a version of a guy you want in your foxhole, Jim Gandolfini was mine," he shared in a statement. "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."
They weren't the only ones who looked back fondly on the burly star, as more celebs came out to pay tribute to Gandolfini and his legacy.
Mark Ruffalo, who costarred with Gandolfini in 2001's The Last Castle, shared his sadness in an eloquent tweet, writing: "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."
"It's truly an honor to have been able to share one of the greatest moments ever in TV history with James Gandolfini," said Journey—whose anthemic Don't Stop Believin' played over The Sopranos' much-debated final scene—in a statement on its website.
"He was an amazing actor—taken way too young—and he'll be missed. Our condolences go out to his family."
Director Steven Zaillian, who was in the midst of developing an HBO series, Criminal Justice, that Gandolfini was set to star in, gave props to his frequent collaborator.
"I worked with Jim before The Sopranos and after it, and throughout these many years he has always been the same man," he said in a statement. "A real man, like they don't make anymore. Honest, humble, loyal, complicated, as grateful for his success as he was unaffected by it, as respectful as he was respected, as generous as he was gifted. He was big, but even bigger-hearted. I'm so saddened to lose my friend, and sadder still for his family."
"I am totally shocked and devastated by the passing of one of my oldest and dearest friends," chef Mario Batali said in a statement. "I only hope to help his family any way I can in their grief and mourning."
"Really though...This James Gandolfini passing is so sad. My heart goes out to his family in this time. RIP #takentoosoon," tweeted Justin Timberlake.
"RIP James Gandolfini, I will miss seeing you riding around NYC in your Caddy," Tyson Beckford posted on Instagram, adding: "Gone too soon."
"JG ushered in a new age of TV acting and is the reason many of us are there today," tweeted Kevin Bacon. "His work was inspirational. Hearts out to his people. RIP."