Vincent Pastore
Vincent Pastore is an actor most well know for his role as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on The Sopranos.
Synopsis
Vincent Pastore has had roles on TV crime movies and miniseries, such as Gotti and The Last Don, but his greatest role to date was as Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on The Sopranos. Pastore played a mafia soldier who is caught in a jam and reluctantly agrees to help in an investigation of the Soprano crime family. After leaving The Sopranos, Pastore has continued to work on TV and in film.
Early Career
Actor Vincent Pastore was born on July 14, 1946, in The Bronx, New York. Pastore, a nightclub manager and owner, got into acting with the encouragement of actors Kevin and Matt Dillon. He got his first film role while in his 40s, which was a bit part in Black Roses (1988). Other small roles followed in Goodfellas and Awakenings in 1990. Pastore kept working, eventually earning more screen time in 1995's crime comedy The Jerky Boys opposite Alan Arkin.
'The Sopranos'
With his deep voice and hulky size, Pastore has often played the part of a mobster. He had roles on several television crime movies and miniseries, such as Gotti (1996), The Last Don (1997) and Witness to the Mob (1998). But his greatest television role to date was as Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on The Sopranos. For two seasons, Pastore played a mafia member who gets caught in a jam and reluctantly agrees to help in a federal investigation of the Soprano crime family to avoid jail time.
Later Work
After leaving The Sopranos, Pastore has continued to work on television and in film. He has appeared on such television series as Law & Order, Queen's Supreme and The Practice. Pastore also had a recurring role on the soap opera One Life to Live. Along with his dramatic roles, Pastore hasn't been afraid to poke fun at his image. He provided the voice for one of the gangster sharks in the 2004 animated film Shark Tale and appeared in the organized crime send-up Corky Romano (2001).
Pastore has continued to work steadily on film and television projects, including The Devil's Dominoes (2007), Street Boss (2009) and Day of Redemption (2013). He also stars in the comedic mafia film The Family (2013), along with Robert De Niro and Dianna Agron. While he has stayed true to his Italian street saavy persona on film, he also hosts a program called Wise Guy Radio on the Sirius Satellite Radio.
Personal Life
In 2005, Pastore made news with his personal life. He was arrested in New York City and charged with assault after a fight with his girlfriend. He later pled guilty to a lesser charge and received community service.
