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Daniel Louis Aiello, Jr. (born June 20, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York) is an Italian-American actor who has starred in (amongst others), Once Upon a Time in America, Ruby, The Godfather: Part II, Hudson Hawk, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Moonstruck, Do The Right Thing (Oscar nomination), Léon: The Professional, Two Days in the Valley and played the title character in the video for Madonna's Papa Don't Preach. Although his characters are often crass, vulgar, and violent, Aiello has also portrayed sensitive, kindly men with an earthy sense of humor.
He has been quoted as saying, "The first time I put on a dress and a wig and they took a polaroid of me, I wanted to throw up. Except I saw a little bit of beauty in that I looked like my mother."