A new biography of the late, titled Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend, has claimed that his working relationship with Denzel Washington suffered from some friction, or did it?
Denzel and Gandolfini starred in the 1995 film Crimson Tide. The former played Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter opposite Gandolfini’s Lieutenant Bobby Dougherty.
According to a report published in Premiere magazine at the time, the duo got into a “scruffle” due to a scene where Gandolfini had to hold the Gladiator II star by the collar. Denzel felt that The Sopranos star was more aggressive than he needed to be. He then “storm[ed] over” to director Tony Scott to take the matter to him.
According to Rocky Carroll, who also starred in the film, told author Jason Bailey that “It got really heated really fast,” but Emmy winner thought he was “doing [his] job.”
In the biography, released on Tuesday, April 29, Gandolfini’s former manager Mark Armstrong admitted that Gandolfini “did get a little aggressive, more aggressive than I think Denzel was ready for.”
The book also shared that Enough Said star then thought he’d get fired from the film, but he didn’t.
However, a portion of the Premiere magazine report published in the biography claimed that the duo “scuffled vigorously” in another on-set incident, but “burst into laughter.”
Denzel later stated that the “fooled everybody” on set.
“Literally immediately after that, they started a great friendship,” Armstrong shared. “And Jim had a ton of respect for him.”
