Best known for his role as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on HBO’s hit series “The Sopranos,” Giovanni and Dutch welcome actor Vincent Pastore to Inside the Life. In this episode, Vincent, Giovanni and Dutch chop it up, discussing everything from Pastore’s career in the music and nightlife industry, his experience living and working around New York Mobtypes, how he landed his role on “The Sopranos” to Giovanni’s infiltration of the “real Sopranos,” New Jersey’s DeCavalcante crime family. After discussing how being an informant on the series affected him, Pastore shares the bittersweet behindthescenes story of the season two finale “Funhouse.”

Born in the Bronx and raised in New Rochelle, NY, Pastore didn’t get involved with acting until his 40s, aside from a small part in a 1968 soap opera. After meeting actors and brothers Kevin and Matt Dillon while running a nightclub in New York, they encouraged him to pursue acting. He is most famous for playing Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero in the first two seasons of “The Sopranos.” When his character faces 30 years in prison for heroin trafficking, he becomes an FBI informant, forcing his character to “exit” the show. Since “The Sopranos,” Pastore has played a wide variety of roles, including an appearance on “The Celebrity Apprentice” and a voice in the movie “Shark Tale.” Pastore currently enjoys teaching acting workshops in New York City and regularly appears alongside his friends and fellow Sopranos stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa in the “In Conversations with The Sopranos” live shows.

Chapters
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:29 The Beginning of His Career
00:13:55 Thoughts on "The Sopranos" Ending
00:15:54 Playing an Informant
00:31:20 Vinny's Role as "Quack Quack" Ruggiero in "Gotti"
00:46:33 How the Mob Feels About "The Sopranos"

Produced by The Mob Museum.

Presented by Levy Online and Levy Production Group.

For behindthescenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit https://insidethelife.org/

For more on the Museum visit https://themobmuseum.org/