Vincent Pastore, 'Sopranos' Star and Screen Actors Guild Award Winner, Dies at 80

Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for his role in the hit HBO series "The Sopranos," has passed away at the age of 80.

According to Deadline, Pastore was found dead in his Bronx, New York home on August 1 (local time). The cause of death is presumed to be natural causes.

Bob McGowan, Pastore's longtime manager, remembered the late actor fondly, saying, "He was a truly wonderful person, always ready to lend a hand, and incredibly generous."

Born in 1946 to an Italian-American family in the Bronx, Pastore studied theater in college before launching his acting career with bit parts as Italian-American gangsters. He cut his teeth in the early '90s with appearances in films like "Goodfellas" and "The Family Man," before gaining wider recognition in the 1995 feature "Jersey Boys" and the 1996 HBO film "Gotti."

Pastore's career reached its zenith in 1999 with "The Sopranos." He left an indelible mark as "Big Pussy," the best friend of protagonist Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), who transforms from a mafia member to an FBI informant. This performance earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2000.

Following his "Sopranos" success, Pastore continued to work steadily, appearing in films such as "Two Family House," "Dude, Where's My Car?," and "Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn," as well as TV shows including "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Shark Tank." His final role was in the 2021 series "Yellowjackets."

Pastore is survived by his daughter Renee, from his marriage to ex-wife Nancy Burke, and a granddaughter.