Joseph Siravo, best known for his roles in “The Sopranos” and “Jersey Boys,” passed away Sunday. He was 66.
The “acclaimed actor, director, and teacher died on Sunday, April 11, after a long, courageous battle with colon cancer,” his family confirmed to The Post in a statement.
“I was by his side when my dear father passed away this morning, peacefully, in his beloved Treehouse,” wrote Siravo’s daughter Allegra Okarmus on Instagram. “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.”
Known by the masses for playing wisecracking East Coast tough guys, Siravo is perhaps most famous for his turn in the acclaimed HBO mob drama “The Sopranos,” in which he portrayed Tony Soprano’s father during flashbacks to the gangster boss’s childhood in the ’60s. The dramatist’s other TV roles include everything from “For Life” to “Law & Order” to “The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story.”
Siravo was a graduate of Stanford University (BA) and later received his MFA in Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
The proud son of Theresa and Mario Siravo, he caught the acting bug early as a Washington, D.C. Metro area native regularly attending plays at the acclaimed Arena Stage, which inspired him to dream of working in the theater.
Selected off-Broadway credits include “Mad Forest” and “Up Against the Wind” (both at New York Theatre Workshop) and “Dark Rapture” and “Gemini” (both at Second Stage). On Broadway, Siravo collaborated with the Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher twice in the Lincoln Center Theater productions of “The Light in the Piazza” and, more recently, in “Oslo.”
Siravo also notched more than 2,000 performances as gangster Gyp DeCarlo in the flagship US tour of hit musical “Jersey Boys,” which began in 2006.
His family told The Post he “had a lifelong love of and passion for Shakespeare received rave reviews for his portrayal of ‘Claudius’ in the Long Wharf Theater’s 2004 production of ‘Hamlet.’ As a teacher, in addition to his work at NYU, he was also a coach, mentor and teacher of the Shakespeare canon.”
The actor and producer also made a splash on the big screen, with supporting parts in “Carlito’s Way,” Adam Driver’s “The Report,” “Equity, “Motherless Brooklyn,” “The Wannabe” and “Shark Tale.”
Siravo’s fellow “Sopranos” stars flocked to social media to mourn his passing.
“Oh no! He was so great!” tweeted Stevie Van Zandt, who played Silvio Dante on the iconic series. “Deepest love and condolences to his family. Big loss.”
Actor Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher in the series, seconded his co-star’s sentiment in a heartfelt Instagram post. “Joe was an excellent actor and a wonderful guy and he will be missed dearly,” he wrote. “His performance [as] Johnny Boy Soprano was spot on and he also made a perfect John Gotti in Nick Sandow’s ‘The Wannabe.’ In my opinion, he was the best of all the actors who’ve played the Teflon Don.”
“RIP my dear friend, who fought an incredible fight,” wrote actor and stuntman Garry Pastore. “I will miss you. See you on the other side.”
His “The Light in the Piazza” co-star, Broadway leading lady Kelli O’Hara, also shared her condolences via Twitter and Instagram.
Siravo is survived by his loving daughter, Allegra Okarmus, son in law, Aaron Okarmus and grandson, Atticus Okarmus; his sister Maria Siravo and brothers Mario Siravo, Ernest Siravo and Michael Siravo.
Memorial services for Joseph Siravo will be announced at a later date.
