Vincent Pastore, the actor 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 a neighbour yesterday (August 1), after his manager had reportedly not heard from him for three days. No cause of death has been confirmed, although initial reports said it was believed to have been from natural causes.
“Vinny was a great guy, he would help anyone and was very charitable,” his longtime manager Bob McGowan said.
Pastore played Big Pussy, one of Tony Soprano’s oldest friends and most trusted enforcers throughout the first two seasons of David Chase’s landmark HBO series.
His character’s eventual betrayal of Tony became one of The Sopranos‘ defining early storylines, with it ultimately being revealed that Big Pussy had been secretly working with the FBI by recording conversations with Tony’s crew.
Tony, Paulie Walnuts and Silvio Dante memorably confronted Pussy while on a boat trip and murdered him, throwing his body into the ocean so he could “sleep with the fishes”. The crime would go on to haunt Tony through flashbacks and hallucinations throughout the remaining seasons.
Born in The Bronx on July 14, 1946, Pastore served in Vietnam before studying drama at Pace University. He secured minor roles in Goodfellas and Carlito’s Way and starred alongside future Sopranos collaborators Tony Sirico and Frank Vincent in the 1996 HBO film Gotti.
His other credits included Mickey Blue Eyes, Deuces Wild, Revolver, Law & Order, Hawaii Five-O and Yellowjackets, and he became a regular on reality shows such as The Celebrity Apprentice and Dancing With The Stars.
A number of Pastore’s former Sopranos co-stars have paid tribute, including Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti. “Our beloved friend and collaborator Vincent Pastore has passed away,” he wrote. “This is a hard one for us, it seems like I’ve known Vinny forever.”
“We did lots of work together and travelled all over the USA as well as Italy and Australia. Lots of good times. Lots of laughs. Vinny was a kind-hearted brother who cared deeply about his family and friends. I will miss him always.”
Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who played Meadow Soprano, described him as “a wonderful actor, a kind and loving man”, while Lorraine Bracco, who portrayed Dr. Jennifer Melfi, remembered him as “such a funny and charming man”.
Another irreplaceable brother gone. It never gets any easier. Travel well Vincenzo. pic.twitter.com/sybh6LOWvm
— 🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇦🕉Stevie Van Zandt☮️💙 (@StevieVanZandt) August 2, 2026
Steven Van Zandt, aka Silvio Dante, called him an “irreplaceable brother”, while Joe Pantoliano, who played Ralph Cifaretto, added: “He had this incredible appetite for the business and he never lost that spark.”
Pastore is survived by his daughter Renee, his son-in-law and his granddaughter.
