Sopranos Star Vincent Pastore Found Dead at 80
Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for playing Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on HBO's The Sopranos, was found dead at his Bronx residence on Saturday, August 1, at age 80. TMZ, Deadline, Forbes, and other outlets reported he was discovered by longtime friend Stephen Villano after not being heard from for several days; Deadline put the gap at roughly three days. His cause of death has not been determined, and the circumstances are being investigated. Pastore played Big Pussy across all six seasons of The Sopranos (1999–2007) — Tony Soprano's longtime friend and mob associate, later exposed as an FBI informant and killed by Tony in one of the show's most memorable scenes. Born in the Bronx on July 14, 1946, Pastore served in Vietnam before earning a drama degree from Pace University. He appeared in Goodfellas, Carlito's Way, Men of Respect, Shark Tale (as the voice of Luca), and dozens of other film and TV credits. In later years he appeared on Celebrity Fit Club, Dancing with the Stars (exiting after one week), and Celebrity Apprentice. He is survived by his daughter, Renee.
Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.
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Deadline first reported Pastore's death; subsequently confirmed by representatives. https://deadline.com/2026/08/vincent-pastore-dead-the-sopranos-star-big-pussy-1237015282/
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