Sopranos star reveals mental health issues almost ‘destroyed’ his life

A Sopranos star has revealed his struggle with mental health issues nearly ‘destroyed’ his life and family. 

Joe Pantoliano, 73, who is one of many Hollywood A-listers considering moving to another country, shared he struggled with clinical depression for nearly a decade before getting a diagnosis. 

To relieve his symptoms, the actor, who starred as Ralph Cifaretto in the Emmy-winning crime drama told Page Six he would self-medicate via what he called his ‘seven deadly symptoms.’

‘Alcohol, what was available, women, you know, risky behavior, act first and then ask questions second,’ the actor told the outlet on Thursday. 

The Goonies actor admitted he was a ‘mess for a long time,’ and attributed some of his problems to growing up with a mother who also suffered from mental health challenges.

‘My wife [actress Nancy Sheppard] and my kids were ready to throw me out,’ he said.

A Sopranos star has revealed his struggle with mental health issues nearly ‘destroyed’ his life and family

‘The only people who were happy to see me weren’t people. They were my dogs.’ the actor recalled. 

The Last of Us star, who is currently starring in the off-Broadway show Ginger Twinsies, also credited his pups with saving his life.

‘It was the only spark that was left in me. I was like Tinkerbell and the light was dying,’ he explained.

Pantoliano finally received a diagnosis in 2007.

Two year later her found an organization called, No Kidding, Me Too!  to help take away the stigma around mental health struggles. 

‘We’ve done such a great job,’ he said.

‘Our mission for No Kidding, Me Too! was to make the discussion of mental disease cool and trendy,’ he said, adding, ‘And we’ve succeeded. You can’t get them to shut up now!’  

After his show closes on October 26, Pantoliano and his wife may pull up sticks and move to Europe amid all the political chaos in the United States. 

‘It’s hard for me to think about people’s bulls*** like making a TV show. The world is on fire; it’s hard for me to concentrate,’ Pantoliano said. 

Joe Pantoliano, 73, has shared that he struggled with clinical depression for nearly a decade before getting a diagnosis in 2007;  Pictured in Los Angeles in January 2020 

The actor starred as Ralph Cifaretto in the Emmy winning crime drama 

The actor said he self-medicated to deal with his symptoms, which caused difficulties at home. ‘My wife [actress Nancy Sheppard] and my kids were ready to throw me out,’ he said;  Pictured in Los Angeles in May 2024

In a recent video on social media he told his fans, ‘Nancy and I were in Portugal for a couple of weeks.’

‘We actually looked into getting visas so that we could live there part of the time, or most of the time.’

‘It’s a great place to retire,’ he added, saying, ‘It suits me. I love to walk; I take amazing walks there.’

Other celebrities such as Rosie O’Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi, designer Tom Ford, along with Ryan Gosling and partner Eva Mendes have already moved abroad.