The Godfather and The Sopranos star John Apri has died

Famous Hollywood actor John Aprea has died at the age of 83. He played in the cult films The Godfather and The Sopranos.

Aprea "died of a natural death" on Monday, August 5, in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family. This was just announced by his manager Will Levine, FoxNews reports.

"I am very saddened by the death of Mr. Aprea. He was an incredibly talented actor and loved by his friends. One of the coolest guys I've ever known," Will Levine commented on the actor's death.

Jonathan Aprea was born on March 4, 1941 to Italian immigrants in Englewood, New Jersey. Although he grew up a rather shy boy, he dreamed of acting since childhood. He made his acting debut in 1968 in the movie Bullitt, where he co-starred with Steve McQueen in the classic police drama.

And then John Aprea accidentally met the famous American film director and producer Francis Ford Coppola in a bar, who invited him to audition for the lead role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather. However, this role went to Al Pacino. But Coppola chose Aprea to play the role of young Salvatore Tessio in the second part of the cult Godfather. The actor called the work on the movie the "culmination" of his career.

"The Godfather 2 just stays with you, it becomes a part of who you are. It's one of the best movies ever made. Every time it comes on TV, I say to myself: 'I'm not going to watch it anymore,' but before I know it, I'm watching every minute of it," said Aprea in an interview with Digital Journal.

The Hollywood movie actor's life was followed by a series of crime sagas and dramatic operas in film and television.

John Aprea starred in such films as The Stepford Wives, New Jack City, The Manchurian Candidate...

The actor's career was also full of numerous television projects: "The A-Team, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Sopranos, Saved by the Bell, Three's Company, and Scapegoat.

For decades, he worked as Alexander Nikos and Lucas Castigliano on the hit film Another World.

From 2020 to 2023, Aprea starred in the British drama series The Bay.

The actor is survived by his wife, Betsy Grassi, as well as his daughter Nicole from a previous marriage and stepchildren Marika Parker and Valentino Grassi.

Earlier OBOZ.UA wrote that on August 18, the legendary actor Alain Delon died at the age of 88.

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