Rick Aiello: Do the Right Thing, Twin Peaks actor dies at 65

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Rick Aiello, an actor and the son of the late Oscar-nominated actor Danny Aiello, has died. He was 65.

According to his wife, Aiello died on Monday of pancreatic cancer in a hospital in Warwick, New York. Sadly, complications stemming from pancreatic cancer were also responsible for the death of Rick's brother, Danny III, who passed in 2010 at the age of 53.

Known for taking on several authoritative roles, Rick portrayed a host of New York cops for Spike Lee in Do the Right Thing, Jungle Fever (1991), and Clockers (1995). He also appears in select episodes of TV shows like L.A. Law; NYPD Blue; The Sopranos; Walker, Texas Ranger; Sex and the City; Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me; and Ugly Betty. Other films in which he appeared include Harlem Nights and A Brooklyn State of Mind.

Rick Aiello's final on-screen role involved him playing Dr. Drummond for Derrick Simmons's Nobody's Perfect. The 2016 drama revolves around a younger woman who meets the man of her dreams with the perfect lifestyle and image. Once they get married, her perfect dream turns into a nightmare.

We'd like to extend our sincere condolences to Rick's family, friends, and fans as they grieve for his passing. May he rest easy now that his time here is done.