Sopranos actor Tony Sirico has died on the age of 79, his household mentioned.
Sirico performed the position of Paulie ‘Walnuts’ Gualtieri within the common HBO present, showing in all six seasons.
He died on Friday morning, in accordance with a Facebook publish by his brother Robert.
The publish mentioned: “It is with great sadness, but with incredible pride, love and a whole lot of fond memories, that the family of Gennaro Anthony ‘Tony’ Sirico wishes to inform you of his death on the morning of 8 July, 2022.
“The household is deeply grateful for the various expressions of affection, prayer and condolences and requests that the general public respect its privateness on this time of bereavement.”
Sirico’s Sopranos co-star Michael Imperioli described him as a “dear friend, colleague and partner in crime”.
The actor wrote on Instagram: “It pains me to say that my expensive pal, colleague and associate in crime, the nice Tony Sirico has handed away as we speak.
“Tony was like no one else: he was as tough, as loyal and as big hearted as anyone I’ve ever known.”
Sirico was born in 1942 and grew up in Brooklyn.
In a 2001 interview with Rolling Stone, he mentioned he was drawn to the gangsters he’d see in his neighbourhood.
He mentioned: “They’re all dressed, slicked back, they got cars, they got girls, very enticing.
“I bought shut to creating an enormous mistake. I nearly bought too near changing into a kind of guys I painting.”
As an actor, Sirico found himself playing the very men he admired as a youth.
“And do I thoughts being stereotyped? “Absolutely not,” he instructed Rolling Stone in the identical interview.
“I’ve paid my rent, I take care of me and Ma.”
Sirico’s supervisor Bob McGowan instructed the PA information company he “was nothing like his character in the Sopranos”.
“He was a very loyal client of 25 years and he’s an ex-army vet and always gave to charities.
“He’s an enormous contributor to the Wounded Warriors and would at all times go to youngsters’s hospitals.”
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