Goodfellas actor Paul Sorvino passed away on Monday morning, 25 July 2022, confirming the tragic news was his publicist, Roger Neal.
Paul Sorvino died: what was the cause of death?
Sorvino was rushed to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, on Sunday evening due to feeling sick.
The actor died the next day of natural causes.
The Goodfellas actor’s cause of death was first undisclosed but then later revealed as Neal also stated that Sorvino’s death was very sudden.
As reported by Washington Post yesterday, Neal said:
“We were all taken by surprise.”
The late actor’s widow wife shared a statement in light of her husband’s passing. Sorvino’s wife expressed:
“I am completely devestated. The love of my life and the most wonderful man who has ever lived is gone.
“Our hearts are broken. There will never be another Paul Sorvino, he was the love of my life, and one of the greatest performers to ever grace the screen and stage.”
The late actor’s daughter, Mira Sorvino, a Hollywood Oscar-winning actress, also shared a few words about her father’s passing. Sorvino’s daughter wrote:
“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 love in the stars Dad as you ascend.”
Sorvino is survived by his wife Dee Dee, their three children, Mira, Amanda and Michael, and five grandchildren.
Paul Sorvino biography
Sorvino was born in Brooklyn in 1939 and attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. He originally wanted to become an opera singer but found his way into acting.
The actor had worked in film and television for over 50 years.
Sorvino was known for his gangster role, Paul Cicero, in the classic mob movie Goodfellas. Another well-known role by Sorvino was portraying police sergeant Phil Cerreta on the TV show Law & Order during the 1990s.
His record-long career also includes the Broadway play That Championship Season and a 1982 film adaptation of the play.
Other notable movie credits that Sorvino starred in include:
- Dick Tracy
- Nixon
- Reds
- The Rocketeer
- Money Talks
- Romeo and Juliet
- The Panic in Needle Park
Although Sorvino played various roles on the big screen, he was also a multi-talented artist with a particular love of sculpture and opera. He said in a 2014 Orlando Weekly interview:
“Most People think I’m either a gangster or a cop or something, but the reality is I’m a sculptor, a painter, a best-selling author, many, many things – a poet, an opera singer, but none of them is a gangster, but, you know, obviously I sort of have a knack for playing these things.”
In May this year, his Goodfellas co-star, Ray Liotta was found dead in his sleep, while he was away filming a movie in the Dominican Republic.
Reactions to Paul Sorvino’s death
Sorvino’s death was tragic news for fans and his loved ones as they took to social media to share their condolences. Here are some of the reactions to the iconic actor’s passing.