James Gandolfini was an actor who made his presence felt. Best known for his role as Tony Soprano on the HBO drama The Sopranos, Gandolfini will long be remembered by fans of film and television.
Another group on whom he had a sizable impact was the military. On the 10th anniversary of Gandolfini’s untimely death, let’s look back on the contributions of the actor and advocate for veterans.
Gandolfini’s connection to the military started with his father, who received a Purple Heart in World War II. As the actor grew famous for his role in The Sopranos, he regularly visited injured veterans as they recovered in hospitals. In 2004, he also met with American troops in Iraq.
According to his Sopranos costar Tony Sirico, who accompanied him on the trip, Gandolfini was deeply moved by the experience of meeting with servicemembers—so much so, in fact, that he produced a documentary in which he interviewed Iraq War veterans who had been seriously injured.
The making of Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq brought Gandolfini into contact with Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), and he subsequently became an advocate for the organization. He also continued to leverage his celebrity to bring the stories of veterans into people’s homes.
Following the 2007 release of Alive Day Memories, he produced another documentary. Released in 2010, Wartorn: 1861-2010 highlighted the grievous effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on those who have served.
In 2013, Gandolfini agreed to participate in a WWP national television campaign that focused on the difficult process that wounded veterans face in transitioning back to civilian life. Sadly, the filming of the campaign occurred only a month before his death. With his family’s blessing, it aired after his passing.
In honor of the late actor’s commitment to wounded veterans, WWP created the James Gandolfini Award in 2013. Its first recipient was Gandolfini’s friend and colleague Sirico. Subsequent recipients have included Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg.