The iconic actor who played Tony Soprano’s best friend has died at age 80.
Vincent Pastore, who made waves as the mob enforcer Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on the hit drama The Sopranos, was found dead at his New York City home, according to his longtime manager Robert Attermann.
After he had not been heard from for the past three days, Pastore was found dead in his City Island residence in the Bronx on Saturday by a neighbor, according to Deadline.
The cause of death has yet to be determined, though Page Six wrote that a source cited “natural causes.”
“To the world, he will always be remembered as the unforgettable ‘Big Pussy,’” Attermann said in a statement. “But to those of us who knew him, he was so much more.”
“Vinny was one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever known,” he added in a statement to People Magazine. “He treated everyone with warmth and respect, never turning down a fan who wanted a photograph or an autograph. He genuinely appreciated the people who supported him and always made them feel valued.”
Pastore was born in the Bronx on July 14, 1946, and fought in the Vietnam War before obtaining his drama degree from Pace University.
In an interview with the uInterview podcast last year, Pastore credited brothers Matt and Kevin Dillon for giving him his first break in the industry.
“I swear to God they were sitting at my bar and they told me to go become an actor and Kevin set me up Matt set me up,” he said at the time.
Pastore started out with minor parts in the early 1990s films Goodfellas, Carlito’s Way, and Men of Respect. He rose to fame with his roles in The Jerky Boys: The Movie in 1995 and HBO’s Gotti in 1996.
In Gotti, Pastore appeared alongside Tony Sirico, Frank Vincent, and Dominic Chianese, who would later become his Sopranos co-stars.
Pastore is survived by his daughter Renee.
“I’m 78 years old now, I mean I don’t want to be morbid, but how much time you think I got left on this planet? So while I’m here, I want to do what I want to do,” he told the uInterview podcast last year. “If I didn’t become an actor, I would be that guy behind the bar at 50 years old still pouring shots, beers.”
Emmy-winning actor Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti in the legendary mafia series, paid tribute to his former co-star on Instagram. “Our beloved friend and collaborator VINCENT PASTORE has passed away,” the 60-year-old wrote. “This is a hard one for us, it seems like I’ve known Vinny forever. We did lots of work together and traveled all over the USA as well as Italy and Australia. Lots of good times. Lots of laughs. Vinny was a kind-hearted brother who cared deeply about his family and friends. I will miss him always.”
