James Gandolfini Death Hoax is a HOAX! Morbid Rumor that 'The Sopranos' Star Didn't Die and is Still Alive Goes Viral, Actor Really Dead from Heart Attack at Age 51

Beloved "The Sopranos" star James Gandolfini died from an alleged heart attack in Italy on Wednesday, June 19. Sadly, a bogus report recently went viral on the web, insisting that Gandolfini's death was a hoax and that the actor is "still alive and well." Unfortunately, this is untrue. The 51-year-old Emmy Award winner did pass away this week while attending a film festival on vacation. The morbid death hoax is actually a hoax within itself. Twitter and Facebook fans have since expressed their sorrows and frustrations online, insisting that people shouldn't make up such disturbing viral lies.

As Mstars previously reported:

HBO spokespersons as well as several reps for Gandolfini announced the actor's unfortunate passing early Wednesday evening. Gandolfini's management released a statement reading:

"It is with immense sorrow that we report our client James Gandolfini passed away today while on holiday in Rome, Italy. Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply. He and his family were part of our family for many years and we are all grieving."

The HBO network also released this statement:

"We're all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family. He was special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone no matter their title or position with equal respect. He touched so many of us over the years with his humor, his warmth and his humility. Our hearts go out to his wife and children during this terrible time. He will be deeply missed by all of us."

Gandolfini starred as Italian-American Mafia leader Tony Soprano on David Chase's hit HBO series "The Sopranos" which ran from 1999-2007. Gandolfini snagged three Emmy Awards for his work on the show. He also starred in several popular films, including "True Romance," "Zero Dark Thirty," and most recently "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone."

Just last year, Gandolfini produced the HBO mini-series "Hemingway & Gellhorn." He was currently working with the premium cable network on a new series called "Criminal Justice." Gandolfini is survived by his wife Deborah Lin and his son Michael from a previous marriage.He will be greatly missed.

And here's the bogus "celebrity death hoax" originally posted by the "satire" website mediamass.net:

Viral death reports surrounding popular celebrities including Adam Sandler and Eddie Murphy are indeed fake. Unfortunately, Gandolfini's death is not a joke. Several Twitter and Facebook fans were NOT happy about the viral death hoax surrounding Tony Soprano:

@aelmore: "Apparently, the James Gandolfini death hoax is a hoax. I think its time to burn down the Internet and start over."

Cathrine Agnes Simone: "You guys are jacka##es. Updated the 20th? What the hell is this? Nice way to promo your site on someones death. If you have any wits about you, you'd delete this now before it blows up on in your face, regardless of how innocently or coincidental (Which I do not believe) it might have been put up. Having it up at this very moment is a BAD move."

@Gaaaaaaav: "Why the f#ck was there a 'death hoax"'about James Gandolfini. Probably the Illuminati that did it."

Meighan L. O'Toole: "This site sucks. Seriously. What a terrible thing to spread, a fake hoax of a beloved actor? So lame." 

Cindy Kearns Scott: "what about his poor family reading this crap and believing it? DISGUSTING." 

@TheSignalCaller: "James Gandolfini NOT dead now? What's real? What's not? No idea what to believe at this point. Which is the hoax?"

The disturbing post was allegedly posted before Gandolfini's true passing. It has since been taken down.

RIP, James Gandolfini.