Vincent Pastore, the American actor best known for his role as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on The Sopranos, has died at the age of 80, according to Deadline. He was found dead on August 1 at his home by a neighbor after he had not been in contact for three days. The circumstances and cause of death are under investigation. He is survived by his daughter Renee.
In the early 1990s, Pastore appeared in small roles in Goodfellas, Carlito’s Way, and Men of Respect. He gained further recognition through the 1995 comedy Jerky Boys: The Movie and the 1996 HBO film Gotti, where he shared the screen with Tony Sirico, Frank Vincent, and Dominic Chianese.
His defining role came in 1999 with David Chase’s The Sopranos, where he played Big Pussy, a lifelong close friend of Tony Soprano, portrayed by James Gandolfini.
