Big Pussy Bonpensiero Big Pussy Bonpensiero Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, played by Vincent Pastore, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series "The Sopranos". Not to be confused with fellow fictional New Jersey mobster known as "Little Pussy" Malanga, Big Pussy was a close friend and mob enforcer for Tony Soprano. The son of Lino Bonpensiero, Salvatore Bonpensiero started out as a cat burglar, and was affectionately known as Pussy, in reference to a pussycat. He was called "Big Pussy" to distinguish from Gennaro "Little Pussy" Malanga. Sal looked after his wife Angie and their three children, and was a long-time friend
Big Pussy Bonpensiero traveled to Boca Raton to persuade Junior to return to New Jersey and settle a trucking dispute with Aprile. However, he was suspiciously late for the sit-down and blamed health problems of his comare's mother. Also, that year, he arrived to the Christmas celebrations already wearing his Santa suit, and apparently drunk and very touchy. Tony later recalled these events and decided Sal must have already turned informant at the time. This conflicts with the episode "Do Not Resuscitate", where Agent Lapari said to Pussy, "You been with (the FBI) since '98." In 1999, Sal was an essential part of