'The Sopranos' Actor Tony Sirico Dies At 79

Tony Sirico, the actor best known for playing mobster Peter Paul “Paulie Walnuts” Gualtieri on “The Sopranos,” has died. He was 79.

The TV star passed away Friday morning at his assisted living home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., his manager, Bob McGowan, told NBC News.

His cause of death was not immediately known.

Sirico was a fan favorite on the HBO hit series “The Sopranos,” often stealing scenes with his iconic one-liners, but in real life, McGowan said he was “so tough but so gentle.”

His “The Sopranos” co-star Michael Imperioli paid tribute to him on Instagram, calling him “irreplaceable.”

“It pains me to say that my dear friend, colleague and partner in crime, the great Tony Sirico has passed away. Tony was like no one else: he was as tough, as loyal and as big hearted as anyone i’ve ever known,” Imperioli captioned the post. “I was at his side through so much: through good times and bad. But mostly good.”

Sirico is survived by his two children, Joanne Sirico Bello and Richard Sirico, as well as his grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews and “many other relatives,” his brother Robert shared in a Facebook tribute.

-Emely Navarro