"He is truly irreplaceable."
Tributes have begun to pour in following the death of Sopranos star Tony Sirico at the age of 79.
His brother, Fr Robert Sirico, confirmed in a Facebook post that the actor passed away on Friday (8 July).
"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 July 8, 2022," it reads.
"Tony is survived by his two beloved children, Joanne Sirico Bello and Richard Sirico, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews and many other relatives.
"The family is deeply grateful for the many expressions of love, prayer and condolences and requests that the public respect its privacy in this time of bereavement."
Sirico was a fan favourite on The Sopranos for playing Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri, an impulsive, violent yet loyal henchman to lead character and mafioso Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) in all six of its seasons.
Often a source of comedy on the acclaimed series, Paulie played a pivotal role in the season three episode 'Pine Barrens' which is widely considered among the best episodes of the show.
Born in New York, Sirico was arrested numerous times and served time in prison before taking up acting.
On top of The Sopranos, he also appeared in multiple films directed by Woody Allen and two Martin Scorsese movies - Casino and Goodfellas.
Sirico's Sopranos' co-star Michael Imperioli paid tribute to him in an Instagram post that reads:
"It pains me to say that my dear friend, colleague and partner in crime, the great Tony Sirico has passed away today.
"Tony was like no one else: he was as tough, as loyal and as big-hearted as anyone I’ve ever known.
"I was at his side through so much: through good times and bad. But mostly good. And we had a lot of laughs.
"We found a groove as Christopher and Paulie and I am proud to say I did a lot of my best and most fun work with my dear pal Tony.
"I will miss him forever. He is truly irreplaceable. I send love to his family, friends and his many many fans. He was beloved and will never be forgotten. Heartbroken today."
Fellow Sopranos' cast member Steven Van Zandt also paid tribute, describing Sirico as "a larger than life character on and off screen".
"Gonna miss you a lot my friend. Deepest condolences to the family," he added.
https://twitter.com/StevieVanZandt/status/1545556520951336960
