Actor Vincent Pastore, best known for playing mobster Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero in HBO's The Sopranos, has died at the age of 80. He was found dead at his home in the Bronx on 1 August after a neighbour, concerned that he had not been heard from for three days, went to check on him. The circumstances of his death remain under investigation, and no further details have yet been released. His manager, Bob McGowan, described him as "a great guy" who was charitable and always willing to help others.

Pastore appeared in 30 of The Sopranos' 86 episodes alongside the late James Gandolfini, playing a role widely regarded as one of the show's most memorable, and later reprised the character for a 2006 PlayStation 2 tie-in game. His decades-long career, dating back to the 1980s, also included film roles in Goodfellas, Carlito's Way and Shark Tale, as well as television appearances in General Hospital, Law & Order, Everybody Hates Chris, Mad TV and Wu-Tang: An American Saga, with a recent guest role in Yellowjackets. Tributes from fans and colleagues have circulated widely on social media following news of his death.