Paul Sorvino Dies At 83: From Goodfellas to Law and Order, 5 Memorable Roles of the Late Actor That Made Him Into Hollywood's Best Tough Guy!
Continuously putting out characters that were morally grey, Sorvino always knew how to catch the audience’s eye. Even when he was just an extended cameo, Sorvino would make his presence felt with the authoritative aura he had.
Paul Sorvino, one of the most celebrated actors of our time, has sadly passed away at the age of 83. Hollywood’s most notable tough guy, Sorvino was best known for portraying roles that concerned that of an authority figure. Intense and playing characters who were both good and bad, Sorvino would go on to make a legendary career that deserves to be among Hollywood’s greats. Paul Sorvino Dies at 83; Actor Was Best Known for His Role in Goodfellas.
Continuously putting out characters that were morally grey, Sorvino always knew how to catch the audience’s eye. Even when he was just an extended cameo, Sorvino would make his presence felt with the authoritative aura he had. Films like Goodfellas and The Gambler do a great job at expressing that talent of his, and for that reason, to celebrate this legend’s life, let’s take a look at five of his best roles.
Fulgencio Capulet (Romeo + Juliet)
While Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes rule over this movie with their portrayals of Romeo and Juliet, Sorvino still ends up making a huge presence over here. Playing the role of Fulgencio Capulet, he brought forward a great understanding of Shakespeare’s character, and gave this iconic antagonist a modern paint.
Hips (The Gambler)
Starring alongside the late James Caan’s Axel Freed, Sorvino played the role of Hips, a mafioso bookie in the film. Playing his usual tough guy persona, Sorvino still made this side-character seem memorable enough tot the point where he actually left a huge impact on the story.
Henry Kissinger (Nixon)
In a story that tells the real-life story of US President Richard Nixon, Sorvino played the role of Henry Kissinger, the Secretary of State who served under him. Sorvino portrayed Kissinger in an almost uncanny way to the point where you could just put aside the physical differences between both.
Phil Cerreta (Law and Order)
Sorvino has gone on record to talk about how his opinion on TV shows. Believing that they start losing steam after the first season, he would still go on to join Law and Order in its second one, which itself speaks a lot about the quality of the show. Playing the role of Phil Cerreta, he brought a great sense of energy to the 31 episodes he starred in, and proved to be a great replacement for George Dzundza.
Paul Cicero (Goodfellas)
Coming to one of Sorvino’s most iconic roles, he starred as Paul Cicero in Martin Scorsese’s gangster epic, Goodfellas. In an already stacked cast, Sorvino stood out extremely well where he would stand tall alongside greats like the late Ray Liotta and more. This is Sorvino at his best. Paul Sorvino Dies at 83: Old Video of Actor Tearing Up After Daughter Mira Sorvino Thanks Him in Her Oscar Acceptance Speech Goes Viral - Watch.
With Paul Sorvino leaving us, this marks another loss of a Hollywood great this year. It’s a sad day, but let’s keep the memory of this legend alive by remembering him, and watching his films and shows.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 26, 2022 04:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).