Many people had great things to say about Suzanne Shepherd before her death. In an interview, Bebe Neuwirth said, “All you can do is talk about [Suzanne Shepherd] in these huge terms, and at that point, people stop believing you because nobody’s that good, but I think she is.” Joan Allen, who starred in “A Lesson from Aloes” with Danny Glover, said she fell in love with Shepherd, who was directing the play. Allen said, “I would describe Suzanne as probably one of the most passionate people I’ve ever met in my whole life.”
Even those who didn’t get a chance to work with Shepherd have admired her time on the screen. Shepherd’s first big credit was as Aunt Tweedy in “Mystic Pizza” alongside Julia Roberts and Lili Taylor. Shepherd then went on to land roles in films like “Working Girl,” “Uncle Buck,” and “Goodfellas.” TV fans will also recognize Shepherd as Mary DeAngelis, Tony Soprano’s mother-in-law, from “The Sopranos.”
After the news of Shepherd’s death was announced online, fans started sharing tributes to the late actor on X, formerly Twitter. One fan wrote, “Suzanne Shepherd was perfection in ‘The Sopranos.'” Tom Titone’s post about Shepherd on Facebook not only revealed that she introduced him to his future husband, but Shepherd was “a huge presence. A BIG personality. She roared with life and at it.”
A Shiva will be held for Shepherd on November 20 and 21, while an official memorial service will be announced in early 2024.