Actor Rick Aiello, son of Danny Aiello, dies at 65 after battle with pancreatic cancer

Actor Rick Aiello, son of the late actor Danny Aiello, died Monday after his battle with pancreatic cancer, according to a press release from public relations company Tracey Miller & Associates. He was 65.

"Ricky was a wonderful father, husband and a good friend to so many people," his wife, Arlene Urichich, said in the statement. "After losing his brother and then his Dad, he continued to show such courage and strength throughout his own battle with cancer. For eighteen and a half months he just fought so hard. After all our years together, it’s difficult to imagine our life without him. I’m grateful for all the support my family has been receiving during this sad time."

Rick's elder brother Danny Aiello III, a stuntman, also died of pancreatic cancer in 2010 at the age of 53. Their father, Danny Aiello, who starred in "Moonstruck" and "The Godfather: Part II," died more recently in 2019 at the age of 86.

?"The world has lost one of its greatest actors who also happened to be a wonderful human being," Danny Aiello's literary agent Jennifer De Chiara said at the time. "He will be missed."

Celebrity deaths:Oscar-nominated actor Danny Aiello, known for 'Moonstruck,' 'Do the Right Thing,' dies at 86

Rick followed in his father's footsteps and jump started his acting career in the 1980s. He's recognized for his work in 1991's "Jungle Fever" and 2008's "Sex and the City." He also appeared alongside his father in Spike Lee's 1989 film, "Do the Right Thing," which earned his dad an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.

Rick's other notable credits include 1992's "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" and 1998's "A Brooklyn State of Mind." He also appeared in the HBO crime drama series "The Sopranos" in 2007.

Rick is survived by his wife and two children, a son Ricky Jr. and daughter Tori. He also leaves behind his mother, Sandy, brother Jaime and sister Stacy.

Contributing: Anika Reed

'Do the Right Thing': Spike Lee recalls 'horrendous' white critics on 30th anniversary

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rick Aiello of 'Do the Right Thing,' son of Danny Aiello, dies at 65