Sarah Shahi Recalls Getting ‘Tuned on' by James Gandolfini in Sex Scene

Sarah Shahi reflected on her memorable connection with James Gandolfini while guest starring on an episode of The Sopranos.

"I did a sex scene with Tony Soprano," she said on the Thursday, June 18, episode of "The Bossticks" podcast, referencing Gandolfini's lead character on the HBO crime drama. "One of the best, I have to say, kisses I've ever had."

Shahi, 46, expanded on her one-episode Sopranos appearance in 2007 as Sonya during the podcast, telling hosts Lauryn and Michael Bosstick about the sex scene she shared with her late former costar. (Gandolfini died at age 51 after a heart attack in 2013, six years after The Sopranos ended.)

"I remember thinking to myself, like, how am I going to get turned on by this 47-year-old large balding man? Like, there's nothing. How is this going to work for me?" she said of her time working on "Kennedy and Heidi," an Emmy award-winning episode of the series. "But oh boy, did it work for me."

The Sex/Life star, who is currently single after splitting from Sex/Life costar Adam Demos earlier this year, added that she was instructed to sit on Gandolfini's lap during the intimate scene. "Then we have to kiss, and when they called ‘cut,' we were still kissing," she said. "We did it three, four times, and every time, they would call ‘cut' and we're still f-ing making out."

Shahi also spoke candidly about Gandolfini's presence on the show's set. "He was incredible. He was a very troubled man, but the crew loved him," she recalled, adding that despite the brief nature of her Sopranos stint, she personally faced the impact of the actor's troubles, which included alcohol and drug addiction.

A pair of those exact shoes were sent by Gandolfini to Shahi's hotel room that night.

Gandolfini's death occurred in Rome, Italy, on June 19, 2013, while he was traveling with wife Deborah Lin, their two children and other family members. Us Weekly confirmed at the time that he and his family were staying at Rome's five-star Boscolo Exedra hotel when he suffered a fatal heart attack in his room. It was reported that his son, Michael, who was 13 at the time, first alerted hotel staff about the medical emergency.

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This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 9:00 PM.