Vincent Pastore, 'Big Pussy' of The Sopranos, Dies at 80

Vincent Pastore, the Italian-American actor best known for playing Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on HBO's The Sopranos, has died at the age of 80. He was found dead in his Bronx apartment in New York by a neighbor. According to Deadline, he had not been in contact with family for three days. The cause of death has not been disclosed. Pastore began acting in the late 1980s, quickly fitting into a niche of gangster roles due to his imposing physique, facial expressions, speech, and Italian heritage. His early roles included parts in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas and Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way, both iconic crime films. These experiences helped him gain recognition and establish a reputation as a character actor. In 1999, David Chase cast him as one of Tony Soprano's associates in The Sopranos, a role that made him famous to millions. He was particularly prominent in the first two seasons, when his character was central to a major storyline, and appeared sporadically in later seasons. He also worked with directors such as Luc Besson and Guy Ritchie.