R.I.P. Sopranos actor Joseph Siravo
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, veteran Broadway actor Joseph Siravo—perhaps better known to TV audiences as Tony Soprano’s father on HBO’s The Sopranos—has died from colon cancer. Siravo was 66.
Siravo’s first big break onscreen came when he was cast in Carlito’s Way in 1993 opposite Sean Penn and Al Pacino. He played Italian gangster Vinnie Taglialucci, who blamed Penn and Pacino’s characters for the deaths of his father and brother. The appearance made enough of an impression on the film and TV industries that Siravo landed a significant number of mobster-type parts after that, including his recurring role as Johnny “Johnny Boy” Soprano on HBO’s The Sopranos and appearances on For Life and The Blacklist. In an Instagram post, his Sopranos co-star Micael Imperioli also had a lot of praise to share about his role as John Gotti in the 2015 film The Wannabe.
Movies aside, he was an accomplished theatrical director and was part of the original U.S. touring production of Jersey Boys (he played real-life mob boss Angelo “Gyp” DeCarlo. He also appeared in Tony-winning productions of Oslo and The Light In The Piazza. Siravo is survived by his sister and brothers, his daughter, and his grandson.