The actor Frank Vallelonga Jr. also known by his stage name Tonino Lipand famous for his work in film Green Book: A friendship without borders and in the series THE Sopranowas found dead on a street in the New York borough of the Bronx last November.
Now, several months after the event, the reasons for death were known.
According to the New York Post and the Daily News, a New York City medical examiner concluded in his autopsy report that Vallelonga Jr. “died of a accidental overdose of fentanyl and cocaine”.
At first instance there were no doubts about the overdose, however the experts took the trouble to determine, only on April 10, the result of the autopsy which confirmed that the actor had died of “acute poisoning” produced by those drugs.
What is fentanyl
fentanyl it is a potent synthetic opioidlaboratory produced, FDA approved for the treatment of severe pain related to surgery or complex painful conditions.
According to experts, this drug can be deadly even in small doses. A report published in the North American media indicates that more than 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
Its effects include extreme happiness, lethargy, nausea, confusion, constipation and sedation.
Last year, rapper Coolio authored the hit Gangsters paradisesuffered one death from the effects of fentanyl, added to heroin and methamphetamine.
The death of Tony Lip
The actor’s body was found outside a sheet metal factory located on the outskirts of the Bronx. The discovery was made by the carabinieri, who had received a phone call about the suspicious presence of a “immobile body” and no signs of violence on the ground, but so far their identity had not been disclosed.
It was suddenly suspected that Vallelonga, from 60 yearswas found to have overdosed and there was also one person arrested in connection with the case, a 35-year-old man who allegedly took the actor to the site where his body was found, according to reports the local television network reported at the time fox5.
Your role in the Green Book
Vallelonga’s last best-known role was that of Green Book: A friendship without bordersa movie released in 2018 and that won three Oscarsone of these (the one for the best screenplay) assigned to the trio of screenwriters which included Nick Vallelonga, brother of the late actor.
The film in question tells the story of the father in reality of these two brothers, Frank Vallelonga (father), who died in 2003, even if that character is the one played by Vigo Mortensen in the role of driver and bodyguard of a famous black musician who travels through the southern United States in the years of racial segregation.
Vallelonga Jr. got her first acting job with a small role in film The Godfatherby Francis Ford Coppolawhom he had met at the Copacabana nightclub, where Lip was general manager.
Later he acted TO Beautiful disguise from 1994, written and directed by his brother Nick. He also appeared in an episode of the Sopranosin which he was a member of Carmine Lupertazzi’s mafia, in 2004.
Source: Clarin
