NEW YORK — Frank Vallelonga Jr., a character actor known for his roles in “Green Book” and “A Brilliant Disguise,” was found dead in New York City, authorities said. He was 60.
A man’s body was found on the ground in the Bronx on Monday and was later identified as the actor, WPIX-TV reported. Police said Vallelonga Jr. had suffered no obvious signs of trauma, according to the television station.
In 2018′s Academy Award-winning film “Green Book,” Vallelonga Jr. played his real-life uncle, Rudy Vallelonga, Variety reported. Rudy Vallelonga was Viggo Mortensen’s bouncer character in the film, Deadline reported. Mortensen’s character, Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga, was based on Vallelonga Jr.’s real-life father, according to the entertainment news website.
The medical examiner’s office was still determining an official cause of death.
“Green Book” portrayed an Italian-American bouncer (Mortensen) who becomes the driver for a Black classical pianist (Mahershala Ali) in the 1960s American South, according to IMDb.com.
Vallelonga Jr. also played a maitre d’ in 1994′s “A Brilliant Disguise.”
Steven Smith, 35, of New York City, is accused of concealment of a human corpse, WPIX reported. Police said Smith dumped Vallelonga Jr.’s body from a vehicle, but the Bronx resident denied the accusation.
“That dude was dead already,” Smith said, according to a criminal complaint.
Smith told police he did not know Vallelonga Jr. and had nothing to do with his death, according to WPIX.