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'Sopranos' Star, Pixar Director to Be Inducted Into 2016 Bronx Walk of Fame

By Eddie Small | April 20, 2016 1:37pm
 Vincent Pastore, Peter Sohn, Arlene Alda and Eduardo Vilaro will be inducted into the 2016 Bronx Walk of Fame.
Bronx 2016 Walk of Fame inductees
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THE BRONX — A "Sopranos" star, a Pixar director, a children's book author and a dance pioneer will be honored as inductees into the 2016 Bronx Walk of Fame.

Actor Vincent Pastore, best known for playing Big Pussy on "The Sopranos," and animator and director Peter Sohn, who has worked on Pixar films including "Finding Nemo," "The Incredibles" and "The Good Dinosaur," are both members of this year's walk of fame class.

Joining them are photographer and author Arlene Alda, who has written 19 books, and Eduardo Vilaro, artistic director of Ballet Hispanico.

“Once again, we have put together a tremendous class of individuals that represent the best of our borough for induction into the Bronx Walk of Fame,” Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said in a statement. “These four individuals have seen considerable success in their chosen fields, and throughout it all they have highlighted their strong roots in The Bronx."

Pastore, a resident of City Island, has been working as an actor for decades, appearing in movies including "Goodfellas" and "Carlito's Way" and television shows including "The Sopranos" and "Law & Order."

“I love living in The Bronx,” he said in a statement. “This borough is a great mixture of cultures and ethnic groups—a true cross section of today’s America."

Sohn will be the first Asian-American inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame and has been involved with several of Pixar's successful films in the art and animation department.

He recently directed the studio's film "The Good Dinosaur," which came out last year to strong reviews, and credited years of studying and drawing at the Bronx Zoo with helping to launch his animation career.

Alda grew up in Williamsbridge, and her latest book is all about her hometown borough.

Called "Just Kids from The Bronx," it focuses on interviews with several famed Bronxites about the borough, including Al Pacino, Colin Powell and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Vilaro became artistic director of Ballet Hispanico in 2009 and took on the additional role of CEO in 2015. He has been part of the organization since 1985 and has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Latin America.

"When I look back and think of what in my DNA made me strong enough to contend with the challenges I had to face, I know it is because I grew up in the Bronx,” he said. “The Bronx gave me the strength and determination to excel and succeed."

Pastore, Sohn, Alda and Vilaro will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the end of the 45th Bronx Week, an annual event taking place this year from May 5 to May 15 where residents come together to celebrate the best of the borough through festivals, concerts and more.

Their names will be emblazoned on a street sign that will stand along Grand Concourse.