Actor Vincent Pastore, known worldwide for his role as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero in the acclaimed series “The Sopranos,” has died at the age of 80. The news was confirmed by his representative, Bob McGowan, who reported that the actor was found dead at his home in City Island, New York, after there was no news of him for several days.
McGowan, who had been managing his career since the time of the series, told The Associated Press that he had been trying to contact Pastore for several days to offer him a possible job. It was another client and also “The Sopranos” actor, Vincent Curatola, who broke the sad news on Saturday.
About his life
Pastore, born in the Bronx and raised in the suburbs of New Rochelle, had a career that dates back to the 1980s, with appearances in iconic films such as “Goodfellas” and “Awakenings” (both 1990).
However, his most memorable role was that of “Big Pussy”, Tony Soprano's friend and confidant who becomes an FBI informant, in which he participated for 30 episodes.
In addition to his acting role, his representative highlighted his human qualities: "He was the most loyal customer and always donated to charity. He was the type of person who would help anyone, something rare in my business," as quoted by NPR.
The actor, who enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnam War and later studied at Pace University, leaves behind a daughter, Renee Pastore.
