Goldee, the horse who portrayed Pie-O-My onThe Sopranos, has died.
The animal died aged 23 at a farm in Warwick, New York, on Saturday (5 February).
Goldee had been diagnosed with Equine Cushing’s disease, a chronic disease of the pituitary gland, four years ago.
Her death was announced via a statement released on Twitter.
Goldee was born in New Jersey in 1999, the same state where she later became famous for her role in the New Jersey-set HBO drama.
Fans of the The Sopranos will remember Goldee as a race horse called Pie-O-My who dies during a barn fire in season four.
Although the fire is ruled as an accident, Tony Soprano (played by James Gandolfini) suspects that the horse’s owner Ralphie (Joe Pantaliano) caused the incident in order to receive the insurance payout.
Although Tony was a ruthless gangster, the character’s love of animals was well documented throughout the show and he was especially fond of Pie-O-My.
Prior to the horse’s death, Tony commissioned a painting of himself and Pie-O-My. After the animal’s death and the events which follow, however, he wants it destroyed.
It’s a pivotal moment in the series that showed a softer side to Tony’s personality.
Goldee’s owner Kim Martin told Mel Magazine: “James Gandolfini was really polite and wasn’t afraid [of Goldee] at all. He even played with her on set.”
As per People magazine, Martin also explained to News 12 that a trainer had worked with Goldee for two days in order to teach her how to lay down in the stable for a scene with Gandolfini.
