Vincent Pastore, the actor who played Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on The Sopranos, was found dead at his New York City home in the Bronx at the age of 80.
His manager, Robert Attermann, paid tribute to the star in a statement shared via CBS News, saying: "He was passionate about his craft and was always encouraging, respectful, and generous with young actors, taking the time to offer guidance and support whenever he could."
Attermann added: "For me, losing Vinny is deeply personal. Over more than three decades, I had the honour of watching not only his remarkable career but also the incredible person he was. I will miss his friendship, his loyalty, his humour, and his heart."
Before launching his acting career, Pastore enlisted in the US Navy during the Vietnam War.
The Sopranos role that defined him
In The Sopranos, Pastore portrayed Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, the best friend of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini). Over the course of the show's second season, the character became an FBI informant, a betrayal that ultimately cost him his life.
Tony, along with Silvio Dante (Steven Van Zandt) and Paulie Gualtieri (Tony Sirico), killed the character as punishment for his collaboration with the FBI - one of the series' most unforgettable storylines.
In a 2021 interview with Salon, Pastore explained why much of his work fell into the mob genre. He recalled that his first acting teacher told him "you're always going to play wise guys". He said he "didn't regret" the mobster reputation because it "put him on the map", but added: "If you said to me, 'Vinnie, I got this new script and I want you to play a regular guy'. I would say, 'Send it to me. Let's see it.'"
Joey Diaz 'brotherhood'
Fans often mistook Vincent Pastore for comedian and actor Joey Diaz because of their physical resemblance. The pair are frequently called "half-brothers" and have spoken openly about their sibling-like bond.
Diaz, a Cuban-American comedian, once played Pastore's Sopranos character in an episode of Mad TV. When Pastore appeared on Diaz's podcast Uncle Joey's Joint, the two playfully pitched a sitcom in which they would play estranged half-brothers.
Pastore said: "You know what we've got to do, we've got to talk somebody into doing something with me and you. Some kind of a funny show. You know, we'd play brothers. We've got to come up with something, think about it. You're funny, I'm funny... I'm not as funny as you."
"There's something there, Vinny, you're right," Diaz agreed.
Other roles and later career
Before his breakthrough in The Sopranos in 1999, Pastore took small parts in films such as Goodfellas and Carlito's Way. In Goodfellas he appeared as a man rolling a coat rack through the kitchen of the Bamboo Lounge. He later landed a bigger role as Tony Scarboni in The Jerky Boys: The Movie.
In 2007, Pastore joined the fourth season of Dancing with the Stars but withdrew after only a week, saying the training was too physically demanding. His last credited TV role was a voice role in the thriller series Yellowjackets in 2025.
