BELOVED mob film actress Suzanne Shepherd has died at 89.
Shepherd was famous for her roles in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas and the famed drama series The Sopranos.
Shepherd’s granddaughter, Isabelle, confirmed her passing to The U.S. Sun.
A cause of death was not provided, and the family did not detail a further statement at this time.
Along with Isabelle, Shepherd is survived by her daughter Kate, son-in-law Miles, and daughter-in-law Joyce.
Fans online hailed the 89-year-old as a “go-to” actress for motherly parts in the entertainment industry.
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“I didn’t know that,” one fan noted of her death in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“She really was the ‘go to’ mother actress.”
The 89-year-old portrayed the mother of the character Karen Hill, played by Lorraine Bracco in Goodfellas, per IMDb.
In The Sopranos, she famously played Mary DeAngelis, the mother of Carmela Soprano, played by actress Edie Falco.
Fellow Sopranos actor Ray Abruzzo took to Instagram to issue a touching statement about Shepherd’s death.
“Sad to hear of the passing of Suzanne Shepherd,” Abruzzo wrote.
“A force of nature. Actress, teacher. Played Carmella’s mother on Sopranos and Karen’s mother in Goodfellas.”
Shepherd had a career that lasted over 35 years, with her first role being Aunt Tweedy in 1988’s Mystic Pizza.
She also guest-starred in Law & Order and Blue Bloods and had a supporting role in 2000’s Requiem for a Dream starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans.
Other recognized performances of Shepherd’s came from her roles in 1989’s Uncle Buck and 1997’s Lolita.
Her latest appearance was in 2023’s The Performance as the character of Tess.
The 89-year-old also directed at several prestigious theaters across the United States and overseas in South Africa, per SNBC13.
Shepherd was also an acting coach, dedicating over four decades of lessons to actors at her own studio in New York City.
She reportedly learned from legends in the industry, such as Sanford Meisner, Herbert Berghof, and Larry Arrick.
The beloved actress also held faculty positions at the Herbert Berghof Studio, the Hartman Conservatory, and Trinity Square Conservatory.
An upcoming documentary called A Gift of Fire will also chronicle her career as an acting teacher.
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