Every year at the Academy Awards, the show runs a montage of actors, directors, producers and other contributors to film that have died in the past year. The “in memoriam” sequence is a staple of the show and often brings tears to the eyes of its audience.
But sometimes, the Oscars forget to include people.
In this year’s in memoriam montage, there was no mention of Paul Sorvino, the great American actor who died in 2022 at the age of 83.
Sorvino acted in movies and television for 52 years, making his debut in 1970’s Where’s Poppa? and more recently appeared in the television show The Godfather of Harlem, where he shares scenes with Vincent D’Onofrio and Forest Whitaker.
But most of us will remember Sorvino for teaching us how to slice garlic with a razor blade, for telling us not to make a jerk out of him, and for him making sure there wasn’t too many onions in the sauce. Indeed, the performance Sorvino is most remembered for is playing Paulie Cicero in Goodfellas.
As Cicero, Sorvino plays a quiet but ruthless mob boss who takes Ray Liotta’s Henry Hill under his wing. Cicero is based on the real life gangster Paul Vario, who was a made guy in the Lucchese crime family.
Goodfellas was nominated for six Oscars in 1991, winning one for Best Supporting Actor, which went to Joe Pesci. But Sorvino certainly could’ve been nominated too. His screen time in the film was limited, but his performance was memorable and iconic.
“Don’t put too many onions in the sauce.”
“Don’t make a jerk out of me. Just don’t do it.”
“Now I gotta turn my back on you.”
Also: Tony Sirico
The Oscars also didn’t include Tony Sirico in its “in memoriam” round-up. He was in Goodfellas too, and had acted for 49 years, making his debut as an extra in The Godfather Part II. While Sirico acted in films directed by Woody Allen and featured on cartoons like Family Guy, he is most remembered for portraying Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri on The Sopranos.
