Veteran actor Vincent Pastore, best known for playing Salvatore ‘Big Pussy’ Bonpensiero in The Sopranos, has died aged 80. He was found dead at his home in the Bronx, New York, by neighbour and long-time friend Stephen Villano, after people were unable to reach him for three days. Police are investigating the circumstances, with his cause of death unknown.
Pastore is survived by a daughter, Renee, whom he shared with ex-wife Nancy Berke. His manager, Bob McGowan, paid tribute, saying: ‘Vinnie was a great guy. He would help anyone and was very charitable.’
Early life and career
Born and raised in an Italian-American neighbourhood, Pastore served as a sailor in the US Navy during the Vietnam War after graduating high school. He later earned a drama degree from Pace University and worked in the club business before turning to acting. His debut role came in the film Black Roses in his early 40s.
Film and television roles
Pastore’s early credits include Goodfellas (1990), in which he is credited as ‘Man with Coat Rack’, and Carlito’s Way (1993) as ‘Copa Wiseguy’. In 1995 he played Tony Scarboni in The Jerky Boys: The Movie, and the following year appeared in the HBO television film Gotti, alongside future Sopranos co-stars Tony Sirico, Frank Vincent and Dominic Chianese.
His most famous role came in 1999 with The Sopranos, where he played Salvatore ‘Big Pussy’ Bonpensiero. His character’s murder after being exposed as an FBI informant became one of the Emmy-winning drama’s most memorable moments.
Other film credits include Mickey Blue Eyes (1999), Two Family House (2000), Shark Tale (2004), Revolver (2005), Bachelor Party Vegas (2006), Surviving Family (2012), Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn (2013) and Spinning Gold (2023). On television, he was a frequent face on Law & Order and had roles in The Practice, Son of the Beach, Queens Supreme, Hawaii Five-0 and the miniseries The Last Don II. He most recently had a guest role on Yellowjackets.
Reality TV appearances
Beyond acting, Pastore became known for reality television. He appeared on the fourth season of Celebrity Fit Club in 2006 and was announced for Dancing with the Stars the following year, quitting after just one week due to the physical demands. In 2008, he took part in Celebrity Apprentice, where his time on the show included a fake bust-up with Piers Morgan in an attempt to join the women’s team to spy on them. After being ratted out by Morgan, his team lost the task, and Pastore resigned, with his resignation accepted by Donald Trump after he initially tried to convince him to stay.
Having befriended ex-wife Berke’s subsequent husband, he donated his $50,000 project manager winnings to the Lustgarden Foundation in Mitchell Burke’s memory. Pastore went on to appear on Celebrity Family Feud, Shark Tank alongside a business partner, and Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back.
