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The author Mark Kamine (his job was to find filming locations for "The Sopranos") revealed an an incident that happened during the later seasons of the show. Kamine recalled how Gandolfini spent the entire night in Atlantic City and then arrived late and unprepared for work. The incident took place during the filming of the fourth season's "Pie-O-My" episode, when Gandolfini and a few others decided to go out into a gambling hub one evening. Kamine declined their invitation, choosing to remain at the hotel bar instead. In his book, Kamine writes,
"The next morning I was not surprised to find that Jim could not be awakened."
Kamine reported that Gandolfini finally arrived on the set, four hours behind schedule. As the day progressed, they managed to make up for lost time by extending the shooting period. But, Jim, filled with frustration from not fully grasping his lines, cursed his way through multiple takes. He drank cups of coffee and bottles of water, showing a mix of embarrassment and irritability, which was his usual demeanor when he made mistakes.
As Jim's fame and discomfort grew, he became more generous towards others. But, he also became increasingly unreliable. In fact, reports suggest that HBO included a clause in his new deal, holding him accountable for any expenses incurred on shoot days if he missed work due to excessive indulgence.
Gandolfini passed away in June 2013 at the age of 51. Around that time, a GQ article unveiled the impact that the difficult role of a sociopathic mobster had on Gandolfini as an actor. Kamine wrote that playing "Tony Soprano" required Gandolfini to be partially immersed in the character at all times. This, in turn, took a toll on his well-being.
Source: Yahoo