Tony Sirico (Paulie Gualtieri from The Sopranos) interview in 1989 

“You're not gonna believe this. He killed sixteen Czechoslovakians. The guy was an interior decorator.”

RIP Tony Sirico, 79, just a fuckin' kid.

This is like Paulie if he went to Melfi.

Doesn't admit to killing anyone and then tells a story where the guy he was beating on 200% died, classic

When I was a kid and The Sopranos was on TV, Paulie was old. Now I'm old, and he's still old.

When the actor is more gangster than his characters

It's very interesting that he's a much more intimidating person than the character he played. Surprising.

"Ride the painted pony, let the spinning wheel glide!" Immortalized forever in the best television show ever created. Rest In Peace, Tony.

Next interview: an interior decorator who killed 16 Czechoslovakians...

your gonna build beansie a ramp

Just found out the news. He's going to be missed greatly. RIP Tony, the realest of the real ones.

His energy is *so* different irl.. he absolutely _oozes_ power and confidence

He agreed to play Pauline on 1 condition, that he never becomes a rat. A true gangster

Watch it Chrissy...

Gennaro Anthony Sirico Jr. July 29, 1942 - July 8, 2022 RIP brother.

Makes sense why he was able to play Paulie to perfection. His fear of being alone culminated in a mobster that is surrounded by his friends all day but in reality has no one in his life (besides his aunt/mother). The way Paulie compensates that, makes his character behave exactly like someone does compensate. Its strange that people thought Sirico was dumb because Paulie was. Imo it was always very obvious that for being such a stellar actor without much experience you need to be able to reflect yourself and others on a deep level.

He’s like Paulie with more depth and a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"The guy was an interior decorator"

What impresses me is the sincerity in how he accepts his mistakes

He sounds very different from Paulie. Paulie had this very high-pitched voice, while Tony had a pretty deep voice in comparison. His laugh is real different too, it sounds much more articulate and sinister than Paulie’s. A real actor.

He's a married man. With a Goomah!

"Don't touch that, my programs coming on"

The fact that he says being alone is what he is most afraid of puts Paulie’s character into better perspective. The remember whens. When he brings up to Tony that he never comes over anymore. Paulie was alone in the series and only had his Ma who was in Green Grove. Sure he had the girlfriend when Chrissy was shot, but that’s not the same as a family and his home was always empty.

Props to Tony for pouring out his heart in this interview. One of the most inspiring things to see as a man and a human being in general. Most guys would never be this raw and expose their soul like this for everyone to see.

"HEHEHE..." - Paulie Walnuts

He really wasn't an actor. He just played one.

RIP Tony, you delivered one of the greatest performances in television history and will live forever through it

HIM TALKING ABOUT HIS DAD, MAKES ME REALIZE WHAT I HAD WHEN MY FATHER WAS ALIVE. HOW I WISH I COULD REEL BACK THE YEARS

Holy shit. He'd make his character Paulie shit his pants. Paulie is soft compared to Mr. Sirico.

When I was young, you two were old ladies, now I'm old, and you two are still old.

Holy shit this hit close to home. The way Tony talks about his biggest fear was being alone, so relatable. RIP legend

Ufff, he was so handsome, look at those deep eyes, long eyelashes and full lips. Even during Sopranos, handsome older man. RIP Mr. Sirico. 💗

“I was quiet around her.” One way to explain how love feels

"Did you kill?" "Did I what?" (Cut) 😂

This guy was associated with the Colombo Family. He was definitely a tough dude.

Sadly the legend just passed away. Rip Tony Sirico, a real gentleman.

When Ginny sack goes camping the bears have to hide their food.

All the Sopranos jokes are funny, but it's still sad hearing him talk about the breakup of his marriage and how he's estranged from his kids

“John, I hope it never got back to the missus. You didn’t hear the joke about Ginny”

"did i what" yea he did that shit

Ironically he looked old when I was young and now he still looks old

This man is a treasure. The fact he actually has the acting skills to make Paulie so believable as just a dumb and troubled mobster when in real life he seems very intelligent and a deep thinker is a testament to his ability Wish he were in more than just mob stuff

I just finished watching Sopranos with my mom and we ended the show around the time it was the nine year anniversary of James Gandolfini passing away. Now suddenly we lose Tony (Paulie) too. That's a hard one for sure. RIP legend.

RIP Tony Sirico, you brought so many smiles to my face on days that were so dark. Love ya Paulie 🤙🤌

You know how sometimes you look up the actor of your favorite character and get dissapointed? This isn’t one of those times

should definitely be zoomed up closer I can barely see him

RIP Mr. Sirico, one of the most charismatic persons I've ever seen.

Man the deaths of sopranos actors really hits hard. Like losing a family member. RIP Mr. Sirico.

“if someone offered you a million dollars to kill a stranger right now, would you do it?” “no, no i wouldn’t” “why?” “i don’t need the money” Cold line

commandetori!

“Giving beatin’s” is one of the most authentic Italian American New York City Tough Guy colloquialisms

On the streets of Brooklyn Tony Sirico had a reputation as a tough guy. Good with his hands and fearless. He was legit.

"I lost my shoe!"

My name's Clarence.

Rest in peace Tony, This man is a icon and absolute legend there will never be someone like him

rest in peace paulie walnuts, truly a gifted actor.

"I'm stuck with the name Junior. I'm 45 years old, think I don't like it." Imagine how Corrado feels.

I was born, grew up, spent a few years in the army, a few more in the can and now here I am a half a wiseguy so what?

For a whole year after my mother was told she had stage 4 cancer I was at her house at 7am and left at 7pm. During her last month when she started getting really bad I spent every night there as I couldn't trust my stepfather to be there for her. I think it was the very best gift I could have gave her as she was very afraid to die and her biggest fear was to die alone...she was so afraid of that. I made sure she didn't and even set up a cot in her room right beside her and kicked my POS stepfather to the couch in the rec-room as I didn't trust him around my mother alone. 2 months after my mother passed he introduced his "girlfriend"....after he was already seeing her a year before my mother was diagnosed, and what's worse is we could all see that my mother was sick before I forced her to get checked out by the doctors. Tony, despite his past and the things he'd done, he was a very good son for being there for his father. Going through that is a life changing event and it will either make our break a person. RIP Tony.

Rest In Peace Paulie Walnuts. You will never be forgotten 💕

“I was born, I spent a few years in the army, a few more in the can, and here I am… a half a wise guy. So what?”

Heh-heh

For a minute there, I thought he was auditioning for a role. That’s also a testament how believable his acting is.

This shows how good of an actor Tony is.

Well that was about 300x more intense than I thought it would be...... i would probably listen to an hour long interview with Tony Sirico when he was this age.

"Did you ever kill anybody?" "No." "Really? Cause there's a guy that wants to know if it still itches?"

I never noticed before-handsome man. What a transformation he did for the show!

So blessed to be able to stay with his father for a year and say all the things he wanted to say before he passed.

If yas noticed. His biggest fear is being alone. And in the show thats what they kind of made him and he was always bugging tony to hang out really. Pretty cool

"Snakes were fu#%!g themselves long before adam and eve came along T"

Rest In Peace sir. Your with your beloved old man now.

So handsome.

What do you hear, what do you say!

His eyes are full of sadness and regret there.

Rest in power king, master of the “OHHH”, what a legendary life he led

I was telling my buddies at work about this interview a week ago. They never saw it so we watched it together. Here it is, not a full week later and Tony has died. RIP to the man who I consider to be the best character on the Sopranos

Damn, Paulie walnuts is a real street dude....

“Before I was breaking balls, now you’re beginning to worry me”

He says he never killed anyone. As if he would tell us.

The sadness in his eyes while he was talking about his father was very touching

Tony Sirico the man was even more gangster than the guy he played on TV.

The sailor jumped out the tree and came at me with a chainsaw. I got the right to defend myself Tone!

If you only know him from the Sopranos you would never know mr. Sirico was such a smart, sensitive, introspective person. Really an inspiring man

While we grieve his loss, let us remember that the world is 4 billion years old and we happened to exist the same time Tony brought Paulie to life. Thanks for the laughs, til better days.

He lived the role he played. The Sopranos series wouldn't have been as great without him.

Tony Sirico's deep, he listens to Sun Tah-zoo, the chinese machiavelli....

RIP Tony Sirico. Awesome actor.

My heart I love him. I’m so sad he’s gone and to hear he’s scared of being alone…and he died in an assisted living facility with dementia most likely alone my heart can’t take it man ….. I love Paulie. I just discovered Sopranos two months ago and fell in love with Paulie and Tony in general … and reading he died two years ago . RIP you brilliant man!

One could say his father was a strong, silent type. One might even liken him to Gary Cooper.

Interviewer: Did you kill? Paulie: Did I what? He he he.

RIP THIS LEGEND this really was the worst news to hear today

“Love is scary coz it’s so beautiful” You hear what said Tone? I said love is scary coz it’s so beautiful. RIP Paul

Nobodys got AIDS!!! I dont want to hear that word again!!

he totally killed somebody

A gangster goes to jail and becomes an actor and then plays himself for a living. It’s a beautiful thing.

“One morning I woke up, and I could breathe again, it was gone, it was all over, the best day of my life is the day I fell out of love with that girl” damn…

He jumped of da tree and attacked me with a chainsaw

"The best day of my life is the day that I fell out of love with her." WOW...

He's the only real mobster on the Soprano's.

It was his time. He went standing up. RIP legend