Maybe He Got Teased to Death

Actors who become so associated with a certain role that they can't find another job, or even walk down the street without being reminded of that one character they once played.
This phenomenon sent Michael Richards on a racially charged rant.
I fear it may have driven John Costelloe to suicide.
Costelloe played Jim Witowski on the Sopranos, but he was better known to his fans as "Johnny Cakes."
His love affair with Gay Yankee fan Vito Spadafore became one of the show's most enduring storylines.
New York police confirm that John Costelloe's body was found Dec. 18 in his Brooklyn home, an apparent suicide.