Actor Danny Aiello passed away on December 12, following a brief, unknown illness. He was 86.
Aiello was known as a major character actor throughout the 1970’s and 80’s, appearing in a string of critical and commercial hits in major supporting roles, usually taking place in his hometown of New York City.
Unlike many major actors, Aiello didn’t start a career in entertainment from such a young age. When he was 16, he enlisted in the army, and when he returned three years later, he took on various jobs to support himself and his family, though one of those jobs was a bouncer in the comedy club The Improv.
He broke into films in the 1970’s, with minor roles in two Robert De Niro films - Bang the Drum Slowly in 19743 and The Godfather: Part II in 1974. One of his first major roles came in 1981, when he appeared in the Paul Newman cop drama Fort Apache, The Bronx, for which he received critical acclaim, despite the film itself receiving mixed reviews.
Aiello’s momentum continued through the 1980’s, landing a role in Once Upon a Time in America, once again pairing him up with Robert De Niro. He then landed two roles in Woody Allen films - The Purple Rose of Cairo and Radio Days. Though one of his biggest roles came when he appeared as Cher’s fiancee in the 1987 romantic-comedy Moonstruck, which was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning three.
His performance in Moonstruck was followed by his most universally-recognized roles as pizza owner Sal in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, for which he received critical acclaim. Unlike Moonstruck, his character was far less sympathetic, as the film chronicled the rising tensions on a hut summer day in Brooklyn. Aiello was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for his performance.
Aiello’s career remained consistent through the 1990’s and 2000’s, though none of his roles were as widely recognized as his roles in the 80’s. He had a starring role as Jack Ruby in 1992 in the film titled Ruby, as well as having major roles in Leon: The Professional, 2 Days in the Valley, and Lucky Number Slevin.
Aiello continued appearing in films all the way up until 2019, with many of the films he appeared in having quiet, smaller releases. A hard-working professional till the end, while he’s mainly known for only so many major films, his excellent performances were enough to not just resonate with viewers, but leave a lasting cultural impact.
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