Mourners look to one another for support at Wednesday’s wake for actor James Gandolfini. (Christopher Sadowski)
JAMES GANDOLFINI
Rites at St. John the Divine.
James Gandolfini’s funeral today will be a star-studded tribute to the actor, produced and filmed by HBO for the actor’s family, sources tell The Post.
HBO crew members have been mapping out the scene at The Church of Saint John the Divine Cathedral since Monday to shoot a video of the “Sopranos” cast at the actor’s final curtain call.
Cameramen will be posted around the massive cathedral on Amsterdam Avenue and 112th Street, but the footage will not be aired. It will be a private gift to the family from the network, sources say.
“HBO is running the show,” a source said. “They’re paying for everything.”
“They originally wanted the cast members to file in through the front door, but it would have created [chaos], so now they’re going to escort them to private property and they’re going to walk in through the side.”
Gandolfini’s wife, Deborah Lin, and extended family yesterday attended his wake in Park Ridge, NJ.
The actor passed away last week in Rome, where he was vacationing with his family. He died of an apparent heart attack.
“It’s very difficult because he was like everybody’s hero,” said Bob Price, the husband of Gandolfini’s first cousin.
“This is the worst thing that could have happened. He would give me the shirt off his back. It was just incredible how much of a nice guy he was.”