Skip to main content
On Air Now
Listen Now

1am to 4am

Listen Now

1am to 6am

Vincent Pastore, star of 'The Sopranos', dies aged 80

Share

Newark, USA. 27th Aug, 2019. Vincent Pastore attends the 2019 MTV Video Music Video Awards held at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ Credit: SOPA Images Limited/Alamy Live News
Actor Vincent Pastore has diedat the age of 80. Picture: Alamy

By Flaminia Luck

Vincent Pastore, star of ‘The Sopranos,’ has died aged 80.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The vetern actor who plied his trade within the sordid and violent narratives of the Italian American mafia, Pastore became a household face in 1999 when he was cast as Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero.

Best friend of main character and mob boss, the family enforcer turned FBI informant who threatened to upend the New Jersey mob’s enterprise on the acclaimed drama.

“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," said his manager Robert Attermann.

A veteran actor who plied his trade within the sordid and violent narratives of the Italian American mafia, Pastore became a household face in 1999 when he was cast cast as Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero.

VINCENT PASTORE, WITNESS TO THE MOB, 1998
Picture: Alamy
VINCENT PASTORE in THE BIRTHDAY CAKE (2021), directed by JIMMY GIANNOPOULOS. Credit: SSS Entertainment / Album
Picture: Alamy
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 11: Vincent Pastore attends the New York Premiere of 'CRIMINAL' at AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 theater on April 11, 2016 in New York City  People:  Vincent Pastore
Picture: Alamy
HBO's "The Sopranos" 25th Anniversary Celebration
HBO's "The Sopranos" 25th Anniversary Celebration. Picture: Getty

The cause of his death is not yet known.

Pastore starred in the iconic show’s first two seasons. He returned for a recurring role in Season 3 and returned in a guest capacity for the final two seasons.

Largely regarded as one of the greatest dramas of all time, 'The Sopranos' aired for six seasons between 1999 and 2007, earning critical acclaim and numerous awards throughout its run.

Pastore joins the growing list of cast members who have died over the years, including James Gandolfini, Nancy Marchand and Jerry Adler — to name a few.