| “ | If they can whack a president, they can whack the president of a union. You know it and I know it. | „ |
| ~ Russell warning Jimmy Hoffa |
Russell Bufalino, also known as Russ, is the deuteragonist of The Irishman. He was a high-ranking member of the Philadelphia Crime Family/Bruno Crime Family.
He was portrayed by Joe Pesci, who also played Tommy DeVito in Goodfellas, Harry in the Home Alone franchise, and Nicky Santoro in Casino.
History[]
Russell first meets Frank Sheeran at a gas station, where a small favor- fixing his truck leads to a lifelong friendship. He slowly brings Frank into his world, trusting him with increasingly important tasks. As Frank proves his loyalty and usefulness, Russell grooms him for more sensitive assignments, eventually using him as an intermediary between the Mafia and Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa.
Russell plays a key role in negotiating and maintaining peace between various criminal factions. However, when Jimmy becomes a liability- refusing to cooperate with Mafia figures like Tony Pro ans attempting to regain control of the Teamsters Union despite warnings- Russell is one of the people who decides that Jimmy must be removed. He personally informs Frank that "it is what it is", a coded phrase meaning the decision is final and non-negotiable.
He (or higher figures in the Mob) orchestrates the setup for Jimmy's assassination. He also implies that he had to convince the bosses to spare Frank.
In the final act, Russell is arrested and imprisoned after being caught on a wiretap trying to have a witness killed. Old, frail and in a wheelchair, he eventually dies behind bars. His downfall marks the end of the "good Mafia" era.
Personality[]
Russell is calm and calculated. He never yells or tries to unnecessary murder people. He is also very affable and loyal. He treats Frank like family and also tries to build a friendship to Peggy, Frank's daughter. His loyalty was also shown when he implied that he had to convince the bosses to spare Frank. At the end, he even shows remorse for whacking Jimmy Hoffa.
Trivia[]
- Joe Pesci came out of retirement to play Russell.
[]
 Villains
| ||
|
La Cosa Nostra International Brotherhood of Teamsters Others |
||