Sopranos Stars Pay Tribute To Paulie Actor Tony Sirico After His Death
Cast members from The Sopranos, including Lorraine Bracco and Michael Imperioli, share touching tributes to late cast member Tony Sirico.
The Sopranos cast has shared a variety of tributes to the late actor Tony Sirico. Sirico was a consummate performer in gangster movies including Mob Queen, Love and Money, Fingers, The One Man Jury, Bullets over Broadway, Gotti, The Search for One-eye Jimmy, Cop Land, and Mickey Blue Eyes, as well as the Martin Scorsese classics Goodfellas and Casino. Tragically, the actor passed away yesterday in an assisted living facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the age of 79
The culmination of his experience in the gangster movie world was his portrayal of the iconic character Paulie Walnuts on The Sopranos. Born as Paulie Gualtieri, the character is a mercurial and unpredictable soldier who puts his faith in the lead character Tony Soprano. While his intense paranoia and short fuse put him into some sticky situations, he eventually became the caporegime of the DiMeo family. Sirico appeared in 74 episodes of the show’s total 86 episodes, making him the seventh-most featured actor during the HBO classic’s entire run.
Now, the cast of The Sopranos has taken to social media to share their own tributes to their former costar. The cast members who have honored the passing of Sirico with touching words and photos include Lorraine Bracco (Dr. Jennifer Melfi), who shared that he was a “stand up guy who always had my back.” Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti) chimed in, saying he was “as tough, as loyal and as big hearted as anyone i’ve ever known” while Stevie Van Zandt (Silvio Dante) called him a “larger than life character on and off screen.” Check out these stars’ posts below, among others:
The remaining posts from Jamie Lynn Sigler (Meadow Soprano), Joseph R. Gannascoli (Vito Spatafore), and Steve Schirripa (Bobby Baccalieri) all seem to agree. While Sirico was evidently just as tough as the characters he portrayed onscreen, they share a side of him that is as cuddly as a teddy bear. The cast has remembered him for his kindness, his humor, his hugs, and his loyalty that was just as strong – if not more – than Paulie Walnuts himself.
These Sopranos cast members’ tributes are just a few among the many that have surfaced on social media in the past 24 hours. Sirico is an iconic actor who was much loved by his friends, family, and fans. Although his characters could sometimes be gruff and violent, he left behind many people who loved him, which is both the mark of an excellent coworker and friend as well as a talented performer.
