The Sopranos star Aida Turturro had no idea she was suffering a heart attack after brushing off symptoms

The Sopranos star Aida Turturro revealed that she dismissed her heart attack symptoms as ordinary chest pains. 

The actress, 63, discussed the scary near-death ordeal that led her to having an emergency quadruple bypass surgery while appearing on her Sopranos co-star Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Christina Applegate’s MeSsy podcast on Tuesday.

‘I was having chest pains for a while, but a hiatal hernia can imitate it [a heart attack],’ Turturro, who famously starred as Sigler’s aunt Janice Soprano on the beloved HBO mob drama, said.

‘My friend’s like, “Should we call the ambulance?” and I’m like, “Nah, I’m fine”‘

‘I get in my car, I walk to my house… my cousin gave me his doctor’s number, his doctor answered and he’s like, “It sounds like you might need to go to a cardiologist.” I go to the doctor, [an] amazing doctor, and he’s like, “Yeah, you had a heart attack.”‘ 

Doctors then informed her that ’88 to 90 per cent’ of her arteries were clogged. 

The Sopranos star Aida Turturro, 63, revealed that she dismissed her heart attack symptoms as ordinary chest pains; She is pictured in 2023

She famously starred as Janice Soprano on the beloved HBO mob drama; Seen in a still from the show with co-stars James Gandolfini and Danielle Di Vecchio 

Turturro was then ‘rushed to emergency’ where she underwent heart surgery. 

‘I could’ve died, I should’ve died then, but I didn’t,’ she added.

Turturro said that she thought she was suffering from a hiatal hernia.

According to the Cleveland Clinic a hiatal hernia happens ‘when the top of your stomach bulges through an opening in your diaphragm.’

‘I was lucky it wasn’t my time… diabetes is the number one cause of heart disease,’ the actress, who suffers from type 2 diabetes, added.

The New York City native said that she’s been taking better care of herself since the surgery.

‘I’m blessed with beautiful people in my life. It’s all in your brain. I learned my lessons, you have to take care of yourself.’

‘We can always do better but it’s really about, don’t do nothing. You can’t help your kids, you can’t help your family if you don’t do you. Get everybody involved [because] this is a priority. This is our life, we’re doing this together.’

‘I was having chest pains for a while, but a hiatal hernia can imitate it [a heart attack],’ Turturro said of the scary near-death ordeal while appearing on the MeSsy podcast; Seen in 2024

‘My friend’s like, “Should we call the ambulance?” and I’m like, “Nah, I’m fine,”‘ she said. The star later went to a doctor who told her, ‘Yeah, you had a heart attack.’ She was then rushed to have an emergency quadruple bypass surgery; Seen in 2017

‘I could’ve died, I should’ve died then, but I didn’t,’ she added; The actress seen in a still from The Sopranos 

Turturro played the chaotic sister of mob boss Tony Soprano, portrayed by the late Gandolfini. Notably, Gandolfini died of a heart attack at age 51 in 2013; The two seen in a still

Outside of Sopranos, she has also made recurring appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where she has portrayed Judge Felicia Catano; Seen in a still from SVU

The actress has been candid about her health battles in the past, having been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2001 and dealing with rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 12. 

Turturro became a fan favorite for her performance as Janice, the chaotic sister of mob boss Tony Soprano, played by the late James Gandolfini. Sigler played her niece – Tony’s daughter – Meadow Soprano.

Notably, Gandolfini died of a heart attack at age 51 in 2013.

The show ran from 1999 to 2007. The role earned the actress two Emmy nominations.

Outside of Sopranos she has also made recurring appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where she has portrayed Judge Felicia Catano.