Justin Timberlake has expressed his sadness after the death of 'The Sopranos' actor James Gandolfini.

The singer-and-actor took to Twitter after news broke of the 51-year-old's shock death.

Timberlake paid his respects to Gandolfini - who won three Emmys and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of mob boss Tony Soprano on the HBO series.

He wrote: "Really though... This James Gandolfini passing is so sad. My heart goes out to his family in this time. RIP #takentoosoon (sic)."

Ed Sheeran also paid tribute to Gandolfini re-tweeting: "Gutted about James Gandolfini. Tragic news, hero (sic)."

Gandolfini's passing was confirmed in a joint statement from his managers, Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders on Wednesday.

"It is with immense sorrow that we report our client, James Gandolfini, passed away today while on holiday in Rome, Italy. Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply. He and his family were part of our family for many years and we are all grieving."

A host of tributes have poured in from fellow stars including actors Samuel L. Jackson and Jonah Hill.

Jackson wrote: "Massive blow to the acting community today... The passing of James Gandolfini. So talented. My heart goes out to his family!" while Hill gushed: "I’m truly heartbroken to hear that James Gandolfini has passed away. He is one of my all time favorite actors. Tragic loss (sic)."