The Sopranos’ Star Vincent Pastore, Known as Big Pussy, Dies at 80

The Death

Vincent Pastore, the character actor best known for playing Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on HBO’s The Sopranos, was found dead Saturday at his home in the Bronx. He was 80. His manager, Robert Attermann, confirmed the death, saying Pastore passed away either Friday night or Saturday morning. A neighbor discovered his body. No cause of death has been provided.
Attermann, who represented Pastore for more than 30 years, said in a statement: “To the world, he will always be remembered as the unforgettable ‘Big Pussy,’ but to those of us who knew him, he was so much more.”

Who He Was

Pastore was born in the Bronx on July 14, 1946. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War before enrolling at Pace University, where he studied drama. He spent years working in the nightclub industry before turning to acting full time. His early breaks came after befriending actors Matt and Kevin Dillon, who saw him perform in a community theater production and helped him get his foot in the door. He appeared as an extra in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas in 1990 and went on to take smaller roles in Carlito’s Way, Men of Respect and Law & Order before landing the role that defined his career.

Big Pussy on The Sopranos

Pastore joined The Sopranos when the series premiered on HBO in 1999, playing Sal Bonpensiero, a close friend and trusted enforcer for mob boss Tony Soprano. The character was known as Big Pussy — a nickname that traced back to his origins as a cat burglar, with the “big” added to distinguish him from another character called Little Pussy. Over the course of 30 episodes across the show’s first two seasons, Bonpensiero’s secret life as an FBI informant became one of the series’ most gripping storylines, eventually forcing Tony Soprano to confront the betrayal in one of the show’s most memorable scenes.

Tributes From Co-Stars

Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti on the series, posted a tribute on social media Saturday, writing that Pastore was a kind-hearted brother who cared deeply about his family and friends. “This is a hard one for us,” he added. Joe Pantoliano, who played Ralphie Cifaretto, also shared photos with Pastore and wrote simply: “God bless him. He made it to 80.”
Pastore is survived by his daughter, Renee Pastore.
Source: AP, Fox News, NBC News, NPR, Deadline