20th Century FoxJames Gandolfini attended one of his final film premieres in spirit.
When Enough Said was screened in New York City on Monday, Sept. 16, the late actor was remembered by his costars. "I wish he was with me on this carpet at this very second," actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus told the BBC of Gandolfini, who died of a heart attack at age 51 in June.
Louis-Dreyfus, 52, admitted that it was "very bittersweet" attending the event without Gandolfini. She added that audiences will be pleasantly surprised by his tender performance in the romantic comedy.
"This is how great an actor Jim was: He was no Tony Soprano," she said, referencing his most famous character. "This guy was a thoughtful, generous, sweet, self-effacing guy—like the character he plays in the film."
In a separate interview with The Huffington Post, the Veep star called Gandolfini "a gentle giant" with a commanding presence. "I think he has a thoughtfulness, a kindness and a powerfulness that is irresistible," Louis-Dreyfus raved.
Costar Toni Collette echoed Louis-Dreyfus' sentiments, saying, "I think when the experience of making a film has been so buoyant and lovely and fun, you want to celebrate that experience and share it with the world. But also, the film is dedicated to Jim. He is so divine in the movie. It will be bittersweet."
Sopranos creator David Chase attended the event, as did the show's stars Edie Falco, Aida Turturro, Steven Schiripa and Tony Sirico. "He's our pal and we're coming to pay our respects," Sirico explained. "He might be dead, technically, but he's still there with me."
Gandolfini's final film, Animal Rescue, is tentatively scheduled for release in 2014.