Paul Sorvino, a burly character actor best known for playing the cold-blooded gangster Paulie Cicero in Martin Scorsese’s GoodFellas, has passed away. He was 83. Let’s see what happened, How did Paul Sorvino die, and what was his Cause of death.
What happened to Paul Sorvino?
DeeDee Sorvino, his wife, wrote on Instagram:
I am completely devastated. The love of my life & the most wonderful man who has ever lived is gone. I am heartbroken ❤️❤️❤️ #iloveyousomuch #paulsorvino #sweetheart #husband #loveofmylife
View this post on Instagram
His daughter Mira Sorvino confirmed the news on Twitter saying,
My father the great Paul Sorvino has passed. My heart is rent asunder- a life of love and joy and wisdom with him is over. He was the most wonderful father. I love him so much. I’m sending you to love in the stars Dad as you ascend.
According to a representative for the actor, He passed away alongside Dee Dee Benkie, his wife of eight years on Monday morning.
There will never be another Paul Sorvino, who Dee Dee described as “the love of my life” and “one of the finest actors to ever grace the screen and stage,” according to her statement on the website.
The actor was most remembered for playing Paul Cicero in the 1990 mafia blockbuster Goodfellas, which also starred Ray Liotta, who passed away this year, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci.
How did Paul Sorvino die?
According to his publicist Roger Neal, he passed away in the Jacksonville, Florida, Mayo Clinic. Further details on how Paul Sorvino died are not yet made public.
In the law enforcement drama Law & Order, Sorvino played Sergeant Phil Cerreta in a recurrent role.
He is the biological father of Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion star Mira Sorvino.
Mira wished her father a happy 83rd birthday in April.
A retro photo of Mira, 54, and her father in black and white was posted on Twitter along with the message, “A very Happy Birthday to my father Paul Sorvino.”
The Barcelona star said, “I miss you very much and hope to see you in person very soon!”
In a 2015 New York Times article celebrating the film’s 25th anniversary, Sorvino revealed he was both excited to land the role and scared to death.
“I had played in several comedies and dramas, but I had never played an extremely tough guy. He claimed, “I never had it in me. And this [portion] required a lethality that I thought was much above my capabilities. Three days before the commencement of the shoot, I phoned my boss and demanded to be let go. I’m going to damage both the image of this wonderful man and myself. Being sensible, he offered the advice, “Call me tomorrow, and if it’s necessary, I’ll get you out.”
“I then went to the hallway mirror to fix my tie. I was only upset. I really leaped back a foot after taking a look at myself in the mirror. I noticed a look in my eyes that I had never noticed before. I was terrified and felt extremely scared by the soulless, deadly look in my eyes. You’ve found it, I said as I turned to face the sky.
Paul Sorvino Cause of death
The cause of death for Paul Sorvino is still unknown. And there is no known illness or condition that the celebrity had been suffering with. Reddit has a few speculative comments, but neither family resources nor mainstream news sources support these claims. In an effort to get a response, we’ve been attempting to get in touch with family and close friends, but no one has responded yet. We will update this page as soon as we get enough information about Paul Sorvino cause of death.
Sorvino is survived by his wife, daughter Mira, son Michael, daughter Amanda, and five grandkids.
Paul Sorvino Lifestyle
He once said, “A lot of people assume I’m really a gangster or a mafioso, mostly because of Goodfellas. “I guess that’s the price you pay for playing a part well,”.
Sorvino claimed that he has always been fascinated by the human voice and performed as an adolescent singer in Catskills hotels. He attended lesson after lesson and aspired to be an opera singer, but an asthma condition forced him to focus on acting.
He trained under William Esper and Sanford Meisner at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, where he also gained stage experience.
Sorvino made his Broadway debut as a singing patrolman in the musical comedy Bajour in 1964. He later founded the Sorvino Children’s Asthma Foundation and wrote a book titled How to Become a Former Asthmatic in 1985.
When recalling his one season (1991–1992) on Law & Order, Sorvino resisted the urge to get nostalgic. He remarked, “I felt like I was in the Russian gulag. We had to work under the worst circumstances, and there was zero contact with the authors and producers.
Det. Lennie Briscoe became Logan’s new partner after he left the program.
Paul Sorvino Career
Sorvino had a successful career that lasted for half a century. He played the bookie for James Caan in The Gambler (1974), the pushy father in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet (1996), Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in Oliver Stone’s Nixon (1995), a strung-out heroin addict in The Cooler, and James Caan’s bookie in The Gambler (2003).
In Warren Beatty’s 1981 film Reds, he portrayed the role of an American Communist Party founder. He then collaborated with the actor-director on the films Dick Tracy (1990), Bulworth (1998), and Rules Don’t Apply (2016).
Respected as a tenor, the Brooklyn native also appeared for a season as Det. Phil Cerretta, the partner of Chris Noth’s Det. Mike Logan, on NBC’s Law & Order. In 2006, he fulfilled a lifelong ambition by singing for the New York Opera at Lincoln Center.
For his portrayal of the dishonest Phil Romano, one of the four former high school basketball players who reunite to see their old coach, in the original Broadway production of Jason Miller’s That Championship Season, which won the Pulitzer Prize for drama, Sorvino received a Tony nomination and a Drama Desk Award in 1973.
He portrayed the coach in a 1999 Showtime telefilm where he also made his directing debut after reprising the role for a 1982 movie. In order to appear in and direct his lone feature, The Trouble With Cali, he went back to Scranton, Pennsylvania, the location of That Championship Season (2012).
However, Sorvino is perhaps most remembered for his performance as Cicero in the violent GoodFellas (1990), which Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese adapted from Pileggi’s 1986 nonfiction book. Cicero liked a nice dinner and chopped his garlic with a razor blade.
Tributes to Paul Sorvino
Miss Yugoslavia said,
One of my fav Oscar moments was when Mira Sorvino won Best Supporting Actress for Mighty Aphrodite and took a moment to thank her father, Paul Sorvino, who was visually moved. Mira, a Harvard graduate, showing what a humble person her parents raised. RIP Paul Sorvino.
Edyrdologist tweeted,
Every moment Paul Sorvino is on-screen in Goodfellas is perfect, but my personal favorite will always be the exasperated look he gives Henry when meeting with the hapless owner of the club they’re about to bust out. RIP.
Pastor Barry tweeted,
Oh, Mira, I’m sorry to hear that. I could tell by how much you spoke of him and what you said that you adored him. I will be praying for you and the family. May he rest in peace.
KEEP READING
Dallas Airport Shooting: What happened? Who is the suspect? Motive Revealed
How did David Warner die? What happened? Cause of Death Revealed
Follow us on Twitter to get instant notifications on the latest news.
I’m Nawin (Admin), a seasoned doctor and accomplished content writer with 8 years of experience. Join me as I unravel the latest breaking news, unveil behind-the-scenes happenings, and explore the aftermath scenes. With my expertise, I’ve crafted this renowned news site to provide you with an authentic perspective on daily happenings. Get ready to delve into a world of truth and knowledge on Medico Topics.