‘The Sopranos’ Actor Vincent Pastore Dead at 80, Police Launch Investigation

Far Out Magazine ^ | Sat 1 August 2026 | Joe Taysom

[nickcarraway]

Vincent Pastore, best known for The Sopranos, has died aged 80.

Pastore, who portrayed Salvatore ‘Big Pussy’ Bonpensiero on the legendary HBO series, was confirmed dead on August 1st at his apartment in the Bronx.

According to Deadline, an investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding Pastore’s death.

Reportedly, it was a neighbour, who had not seen Pastore in three days, who discovered his body.

In addition to The Sopranos, Pastore also featured in Mickey Blue Eyes, Two Family House, Riding in Cars with Boys, Witness to the Mob, Deuces Wild, Mafia!, Serving Sara, This Thing of Ours, Shark Tale, Bachelor Party Vegas, Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn, Money Train, A Brooklyn State of Mind, The Deli, Spinning Gold and Revolver,

Following his death, his manager Bob McGowan said, “Vinnie was a great guy, he would help anyone and was very charitable.”

Reflecting on his role in The Sopranos, Pastore told Edge Magazine in 2014, “David Chase wrote that role for an actor who could play a tough guy who also could be sensitive. I saw Big Pussy as a man with a big heart, and that was my choice of how I played that role.”

He elaborated, “In that scene where he is crying in the bathroom at Anthony Jr.’s confirmation, you knew it was not just because he was a rat—he was betraying his friends, which was even harder to deal with.”

In the same interview, Pastore also shared of his Sopranos-esrque upbringing, “The truth is that I grew up in a pure Italian-American home. Tradition. We lived in New Rochelle in an Italian neighborhood. I can still smell the pizza! Roller skating every Friday night at the Boys Club. Great memories.”

The actor continued, “We saw bookies and loan sharks. But to play these roles you don’t rely on memories. You use your own personality and come up with a great character. And for the record, I never knew any rats.”

He is survived by his daughter, Renee.

[No name given]

Rest In Peace, Vincent Pastore.

[mass55th]

RIP Vincent. I just looked at his IMDb page, and he’s got 13 projects that were in the works, or already completed.

[DeplorablePaul]

“Not in the face”

Big Pussy.

[Vendome]

KcuF this guy....

He ratted on Tony Soprano...

Rest in Peace

[Liz]

[Kid Shelleen]

[alexander_busek]

Regards,

[mewzilla]

Mr. Pastore was an unattended unexpected.

I would hope that would rate an investigation.

But if the deceased was just John Q Public, I’m betting it wouldn’t.

[TalBlack]

If I recall that publicity pic was taken in Flower Hill cemetery in NJ.

[Albion Wilde]

The Sopranos ping!

To be added or dropped from this pinglist, freepmail Albion Wilde.

[MikelTackNailer]

I’d assume the cause of death was “being eighty” with complications of Typecasting.

[Red Badger]

I can proudly say I never watched a single episode of that show...............

[BipolarBob]

Wow! What an accomplishment. Have that engraved on your tombstone.

[Red Badger]

Fuhgeddaboudit.................

[bankwalker]

me neither ...

[RetiredArmy]

Sad.

[Red Badger]

Same goes for The Godfather movies. I do not like movies or shows that glorify criminal behavior..........

[GingisK]

...an investigation has been launched...

Really? An 80 year old fat guy croaks and the police feel compelled to investigate?

[Rockingham]

The Sopranos was an excellent show that changed television for the better. The creator, David Chase, was a successful scriptwriter who was able to secure a large measure of creative control from HBO. This made for better characters and storytelling and was soon copied by other networks.