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Paulie Gualtieri | |
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The Sopranos character | |
![]() Tony Sirico as Paulie Gualtieri | |
First appearance | "The Sopranos" (1999) |
Last appearance | The Many Saints of Newark (2021) |
Created by | David Chase |
Portrayed by | Tony Sirico Billy Magnussen (The Many Saints of Newark) |
In-universe information | |
Full name | Peter Paul Gualtieri |
Alias | |
Nickname |
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Title | |
Occupation | Former waste management executive of Barone Sanitation "Professional Investor" as listed on his tax forms |
Family |
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Relatives |
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Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Nationality | Italian-American |
Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri is a fictional character portrayed by Tony Sirico on the HBO series The Sopranos, one of the chief henchmen of series protagonist Tony Soprano. Sirico originally auditioned for the role of Uncle Junior with Frank Vincent, but Dominic Chianese landed the role. David Chase instead offered him the role of Paulie Gualtieri and Sirico agreed under the condition that his character would not "become a rat".[3][4] Paulie begins the series as a soldier, later becoming a captain in the DiMeo crime family.[5] He is violent, impulsive, quick-witted, sarcastic and paranoid. Billy Magnussen portrays a young Paulie Gualtieri in the 2021 prequel film, The Many Saints of Newark. Paulie Walnuts is one of the most prominent characters in The Sopranos, and one of the viewers' favorites.[6] Sirico's performance has received acclaim from critics and audiences.[7]