‘Sopranos' Star Aida Turturro Had a Heart Attack Without Realizing It
Sopranos star Aida Turturro suffered a heart attack without realizing it.
The acclaimed actress, 63, earned two Emmy nominations for her role as the chaotic sister of Tony Soprano, played by James Gandolfini, on the iconic HBO series. Janice, often known for sweeping into town and creating mayhem wherever she landed, also forged several hectic romantic relationships during her run on the series. Without any major spoilers, let's just say that you won't want to miss Janice's tumultuous storylines on the memorable series. But in a new appearance on the June 3 episode of the MeSsy with Christina Applegate & Jamie-Lynn Sigler podcast, Turturro revealed her real life mirrored the drama of her hit show when she suffered a heart attack. However, she didn't realize that's what it was.
"I should've died, I could've died, I was lucky it wasn't my time," said Turturro, who has rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes.
Turturro was "in pain on the floor" at a friend's house, she explained, PEOPLE reported. "My friend's daughter is like, ‘Should we call the ambulance?' [and] I'm like, ‘Nah, I'm fine' … I get in the car, I walk to my house."
She went home and lay down, but her cousin encouraged her to see a cardiologist. A few days later, she went to the doctor.
"I go to the doctor … [an] amazing doctor … and he's like, ‘Yeah … you had a heart attack,' " Turturro recalled, adding that she was told that "88 to 90 percent" of her arteries were clogged. She was rushed to the hospital and had a quadruple bypass.
Turturro Looks Happy and Healthy
After her heart attack, Turturro has been working toward her health. In a recent red carpet appearance, the star showed off her svelte frame and looked happier than ever.
Staying in Touch With Her Sopranos Costars
While The Sopranos concluded in 2007, the cast has managed to stay close. Turturro recently took to social media to share a photo from a lunch reunion with two of her costars: Steven Van Zandt, who played Silvio Dante, and Steve Schirripa, who played Bobby Bacala on the series. Looking happy and healthy, Turturro smiled brightly alongside her former costars.
"Lunch with the boys❤️," she captioned the shot.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 7:18 AM.