The Sopranos star Vincent Pastore dies aged 80

What the report says

US actor Vincent Pastore, best known for playing Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero in The Sopranos, has died aged 80, according to several US outlets cited by BBC World News. CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, reported that he was found at his home in the Bronx, New York City, and that there was no indication of criminality.

Pastore’s role in the HBO drama made him widely recognisable. In the series, he portrayed Tony Soprano’s close friend, who later becomes an FBI informant, with the character’s death in season two standing out as one of the show’s most memorable plots. He appeared throughout all six seasons of the acclaimed series.

His manager, Robert Attermann, described him as much more than the character audiences knew, saying Pastore was devoted to acting and supportive of younger performers. BBC World News also noted that Pastore was born in the Bronx in 1946 and served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War before building an acting career.

Earlier film and television credits included Goodfellas, Carlito’s Way, Law & Order, General Hospital and Hawaii Five-O. His wider recognition largely came from The Sopranos, where he and his co-stars won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2000 for ensemble performance.