Gandolfini's Next Gig Easy as ABCD
It's not TV, it's James Gandolfini's home away from home.
The Emmy-winning thesp has taken his first post-Sopranos acting role, signing on to star as a corporate sports scout in the HBO movie ABCD Camp. Gandolfini will also executive-produce the TV flick through his Attaboy Films production company, which has an exclusive deal with the cable net.
According to Variety, Gandolfini will star in the real-life tale as Sonny Vaccaro, the man who's frequently credited with pushing Michael Jordan out of the realm of mere basketball player and into the stratosphere of superstardom after brokering his multimillion-dollar endorsement deal with Nike. Vaccaro also did the same, much to the NCAA's chagrin, for college-bypassing NBA heavyweights LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, among several of the game's other major players.
The NCAA eventually targeted Vaccaro while attempting to restrict how much financial compensation was offered to high school and college players.
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E! Online The movie, however, will not focus much on his banner work partnering pro ballers with major shoe companies, instead centering on the last youth basketball camp established by Vaccaro.
In addition to Gandolfini, the drama will also be coproduced by Verso Entertainment, a production company created by Golden State Warriors guard Baron Davis and Cash Warren, Jessica Alba's ex-boyfriend.
Friday Night Lights' David Aaron Cohen, already well-versed in the sports drama world, will pen the flick upon completion of yet another HBO sports-infused drama, Dare to Dream, following the U.S. women's soccer team.
While it's the first project Gandolfini has taken on since his days as Tony Soprano drew to a close, ABCD Camp marks the second project he's produced with HBO through his Attaboy Films.
The first, Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq, is a documentary in which Gandolfini appears in conversation with 10 veterans of the Iraq war upon their return to the U.S.
"There's a lot of negative stuff about kids these days, about how America's children are growing up," he said in introduction of the project at last month's TCA panel. "If you tune into this show, you'll see some of the best that America has to offer."
