From "Big Pussy" to "wise guy" limo driver, Vincent Pastore is an actor who can do it all. He has appeared in more than two dozen films and is well-known for his role in the popular HBO series "The Sopranos." On Aug. 23, his new movie will open in which he plays opposite Matthew Perry.
"This is a great project with big name actors," Pastore said, during an interview at Randolph’s bar and lounge in New York City. The film, "Saving Sara," is a romantic comedy.
In addition to "Serving Sara," Pastore is working on a film with longtime friend, actor, and Jersey City native Frank Vincent titled "A Tale of Two Pizzas," and he recently finished writing a play loosely based on his life titled "Crazy Horse Café." The play will be produced Off-Broadway this year.
Pastore has appeared or dined in Hoboken several times. He’s done a stage play here, filmed an independent movie here, and occasionally visits to enjoy meals.
Bartending
Despite cinematic success and embarking on an acting career in the late ’80s, Pastore worked for more than two decades in the restaurant business in New York City as a bartender. During that time, he met a variety of people from all walks of life, which helped him develop an understanding of human behavior.
"That was the best training I could get to be an actor," he said.
While bartending, he began to take several acting lessons and attended PACE University in Manhattan. After receiving encouragement from several friends, he went for headshot photographs and began auditioning for television and movie roles.
His first break was in Nancy Savoca’s "True Love." The movie received acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival and provided Pastore with a great deal of exposure within the industry.
Following the success of the movie, Pastore landed roles in movies like "The Deli," "Gotti," "Witness to the Mob," "GoodFellas," and "West New York," where he worked with Frank Vincent.
He and Vincent became good friends, and Pastore said he learned about method acting and body movement from Vincent.
"He is like a brother to me. Just by watching him work, I have learned," Pastore said.
During his early years, Pastore met accomplished actor Danny Aiello, who soon became his mentor.
"When I started, I wanted to be Danny," he said.
Aiello eventually hired Pastore for the movie "The Last Don," and his series "Dellaventura."
After working several times with Aiello, he received a call from producers at HBO in the mid-’90s. They wanted him to audition for their new show "The Sopranos." After a successful audition, Pastore was asked to play the role of the gangster affectionately referred to as "Big Pussy." The show went on to become a pop-culture phenomenon and despite the character’s assassination after the second season, Pastore said he is still recognized on the street for his work on the show.
"The majority of people who see me call me ‘Puss’ or ‘Pussy,’" he said. "When we first began the show we didn’t know if it was going to be a success."
Pastore is constantly working on his craft. For the majority of his roles, he researches the characters, especially if they are based on real life people.
"I like working on the script to make it personal," he said.
Basing a career playing "wise guys" proved to be successful for Pastore, but he enjoys playing characters outside the genre to expand his repertoire.
"I think they want to believe that you are a ‘wise guy,’" he said.
Despite being a New York native, Pastore has close ties to the mile-square city. He took part in Robert Capelli’s romantic comedy "The Russian Job," which was based in Hoboken, and he often dines with friends at local restaurants. He also appears in the independent film by talented director Danny Provenzano "This Thing of Ours," which won several awards at this year’s Back East Picture Show in Hoboken and will be released on video this year. Pastore’s friend Vincent won a lifetime achievement award at the festival, during the awards gala held at Liberty House in Jersey City in April.
"Most of my friends live in Hoboken. It’s a great town," he said.
In the movie "Made," starring Jon Favreau, Pastore played a cool, calmed and collected limo driver assigned to watch over the two main characters. Since Pastore had been a limousine driver for 15 years, the role came naturally.
"I knew what to do. It was a fun project that received a good response," he said.
One of the most rewarding aspects of acting is "being in the moment," according to Pastore.
"You get so caught up in the moment. It’s like an athlete playing a sport," he said.
Pastore is currently working on the film "A Tale of Two Pizzas." The movie is a romantic comedy about two competing pizzeria owners whose children fall in love. The movie reunites Pastore with Vincent.
"I think Vinnie is a great actor with amazing talent," Vincent said, during a recent phone interview. "I enjoy working with him."
Pastore is focused on working in more movies. Although television is a formidable medium, he said, film has a longer life.
Pastore was recently seen in the films "Deuces Wild" with Stephen Dorff and Matt Dillon, and "Riding in Cars with Boys," directed by Penny Marshall and starring Drew Barrymore. He has created a myriad of characters in such films as "Two Family House," "Mickey Blue Eyes," "Mafia," "The Jerky Boys," "Hurricane" and "Money Train."
His television credits include "Gotti" with Armand Assante, the NBC mini-series "A Witness to the Mob," and "A Slight Case of Murder," which marked William H. Macy’s directorial debut.
He has also appeared multiple times on "Law and Order," TNT’s "Bull," Howard Stern’s "Son of the Beach," and most recently on "Ed" and "Grounded for Life."
Pastore appeared in various theater productions as well, including Bruce Shulberg’s Off-Broadway production of "On the Waterfront," and Richard Vetere’s "Painting X’s on the Moon."
Paramount Pictures’ "Serving Sara," a romantic comedy starring Elizabeth Hurley and Perry, will be released at selected nationwide theatres on Aug. 23. It is produced by Dan Halsted and directed by Reginald Hudlin. q
Photographs by Gerald Cadena. He can be reached at cadenage@hotmail.com.