Vincent Pastore, a character actor who specialized in portraying Italian mobster characters, passed away at 80. He became best known for his role as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero, a capo in the HBO series The Sopranos, which debuted in 1999. In the show, his character provided balance to the more intense portrayal of another mobster, with Pastore noting that the role was written for an actor who could convey both toughness and sensitivity. One of the series’ most memorable scenes involved his character’s death in a surreal fever dream sequence during the second season finale.
Born in the Bronx and raised in New Rochelle, New York, Pastore served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War before studying drama at Pace University. He worked various jobs including as a nightclub bouncer and limousine driver before pursuing acting. His early career included small film roles in movies such as Goodfellas, Carlito’s Way, and Q&A, often credited by character names like “Man With Coat-rack” and “Copa Wiseguy.” His breakthrough came in the 1995 comedy-crime film The Jerky Boys, followed by a role in the HBO film Gotti in 1996.
For his work on The Sopranos, Pastore won a Screen Actors Guild award for outstanding performance in an ensemble drama in 2000. After his character’s death in the series’ second season, his career expanded into reality television, appearing on shows including Celebrity Apprentice and Celebrity Fit Club. He made his Broadway debut in Chicago in 2007 and later appeared in Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway: The Musical in 2014. Throughout his career, Pastore continued landing roles in television and film, including recurring parts in Hawaii 5-0 and Wu-Tang: An American Saga, as well as a leadership role in directing a 2021 theatrical revival.
Pastore was divorced from Nancy Berke and is survived by their daughter, Renee. He resided in City Island in the Bronx.
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