A friend of James Gandolfini says the actor was discovered by a family member after he suffered an apparent heart attack in his hotel room in Rome.
Michael Kobold, who described himself as a close family friend, read a short statement to reporters today and said little more about the circumstances of Gandolfini's fatal attack.
He did not say who discovered Gandolfini, but NBC quoted Antonio D'amore, manager of the Boscolo Excedra hotel, as saying it was Gandolfini's 13-year-old son, Michael.
Gandolfini, star of "The Sopranos," was pronounced dead of cardiac arrest at a Rome hospital late last night.
Gandolfini had appeared in advertisements for Kobold's company, Kobold Watches.
Gandolfini was pronounced dead at 11 pm (2100 GMT; 5 pm EDT) yesterday in Rome after being taken by ambulance to the Policlinic Umberto I hospital. Dr Claudio Modini, head of the hospital emergency room, said Gandolfini arrived at the hospital at 10:40 pm (2040 GMT; 4:40 p.M. EDT) and was pronounced dead after resuscitation efforts in the ambulance and hospital failed.
An autopsy would be performed starting 24 hours after the death, as required by law, he told The Associated Press.
The US Embassy in Rome, which said it had learned about the death from the media, said it would be available to provide a death certificate and help prepare the body for return to the United States.
The embassy said it can often take between four and seven days to arrange for it to be sent outside of Italy.
The embassy spokesman declined further comment, directing inquiries to the family.
