James Gandolfini Agrees to Play Area Restaurant Owner Turned Diplomat for HBO

Westwood-born actor James Gandolfini has agreed to play Bobby Egan, owner of barbecue restaurant Cubby's in Hackensack for HBO, according to NorthJersey.com.

Egan was a go between for the United States in talks with North Korea in the 1990s, gaining acclaim since his background was in the restaurant business, not diplomacy. Egan has been featured in several publications, including The Washington Post.

The HBO movie is based on the book Eating with the Enemy: How I Waged Peace with North Korea from My BBQ Shack in Hackensack, which Egan wrote with Kurt Pitzer.

Gandolfini was born in Westwood and grew up in Park Ridge, graduating from Park Ridge High School in 1979. He gained national attention for his portrayal of mafia boss Tony Soprano in "The Sopranos," which aired on HBO from 1999 to 2007. He currently lives in New York City.