Joseph Siravo: The Sopranos and Jersey Boys star dies aged 66 after battle with colon cancer

The Sopranos actor Joseph Siravo, who played Johnny Soprano, has died at the age of 66, his agent has confirmed.

He died on Sunday “after a long, courageous battle with colon cancer”, Andrew Tetenbaum said in a statement to Sky News.
His friend Garry Pastore had earlier written on Instagram, alongside a headshot of the actor: “RIP my dear friend, who fought an incredible fight. I will miss you. See you on the other side.”

Allegra Okarmus, the star’s daughter, also reportedly shared the news on her private social media accounts, saying: “I was by his side when my dear father passed away this morning, peacefully, in his beloved Treehouse.

“We are both so lucky to be so intensely loved. I am so immensely grateful to have had him here on earth and I know that he hasn’t gone very far.”

Siravo is perhaps most well known for his turn in The Sopranos, widely regarded as one of the greatest TV drama’s ever made, in which he appeared in a number of episodes as Johnny Soprano, Tony’s father, in a series of flashbacks.
The flashbacks appeared to show his strained relationship with his son, played by the late James Gandolfini.

He more recently appeared in OJ vs The People: American Crime Story, where he depicted Fred Goldman, the father of murdered waiter Ronald Goldman, in the court case drama.

Siravo was also an accomplished stage actor, and performed in the musical Jersey Boys more than 2,000 times on its first US tour.

He played Gyp DeCarlo, a real-life New York mob boss in the 1960s, who takes a shine to Frankie Valli and helps his group pay off a debt.

He also appeared in shows The Light in the Piazza, and The Boys from Syracuse.

Siravo also had a love of Shakespeare, and played Hamlet in 2004, and went on to coach and teach his works for New York University.

The actor is survived by his daughter, Allegra Okarmus, son-in-law, Aaron Okarmus and grandson, Atticus Okarmus, as well as his sister, Maria Siravo and brothers Mario Siravo, Ernest Siravo and Michael Siravo.