Actor, and producer Ray Liotta, known for his roles in “Field of Dreams” and Martin Scorsese’s mob classic “Goodfellas,” has died at the age of 67.
Ray was working on a documentary in the Dominican Republic called “Dangerous Waters” when he died. He passed away in his sleep.
Liotta was an adopted child of Alfred and Mary Liotta, who also had a daughter, Linda. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, to Alfred and Mary Liotta, who subsequently adopted a daughter.
He went to Union High School, where he was a good athlete and took up several sports before going on to the University of Miami. He studied drama at school and was cast in his first play, “Cabaret,” after graduation.
Liotta began his career in the entertainment business by working as an actor. He made his debut on daytime drama “Another World” as Joey Perrini from 1978 to 1981, when he was still a student at SUNY Purchase College.
After his breakout role as insane ex-con Ray Sinclair in the Jonathan Demme film “Something Wild” in the mid-1980s, he quickly established himself as a leading man.
Lottia Liotta next played baseball player “Shoeless” Joe Jackson in the blockbuster hit “Field of Dreams” with Kevin Costner, which was also a critical success.
He’s most recognized for his real-life mobster roles in the 1990 biopic “Goodfellas,” in which he was paired with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, and “The Irishman,” in which he played Frank Connelly.
Lorraine Bracco, who played Liotta’s wife in “Goodfellas,” posted a tribute to him on Thursday.
I am utterly shattered to hear this terrible news about my Ray.
I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is Goodfellas. Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same…Ray Liotta. pic.twitter.com/3gNjJFTAne— Lorraine Bracco (@Lorraine_Bracco) May 26, 2022
“I am utterly shattered to hear this terrible news about my Ray,” Bracco said in a tweet. “I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is Goodfellas. Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same…Ray Liotta.”
“I don’t know, you’d have to ask him,” Liotta said when asked why he never again collaborated with Scorsese after the director’s frequent use of the same actors in different films. “But I’d enjoy working with him.”
He certainly has not been unemployed for long.
Niccoli has acted in numerous films and television shows, including “John Q,” “Blow,” “Operation Dumbo Drop,” “Hannibal,” “Wild Hogs” and the Netflix comedy series, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
Liotta has also been seen in “The Many Saints of Newark,” the prequel film to the hit television mob series “The Sopranos.” He recently narrated the TV documentary series “The Making of the Mob” and starred in “The Making of the Mob: The Story Continues.”
Liotta played a number of tough guys in his career, but that was not his real character.
“I have never been in a fight at all, except for during sports, and that’s just pushing and goofy kid stuff,” he said People magazine last year.
“Ray was the epitome of a tough guy who was all mushy on the inside … I guess that’s what made him such a compelling actor to watch,” stated Jennifer Lopez, who worked with Liotta in the TV police drama “Shades of Blue.”
“We enjoyed doing our scenes together and I felt lucky to have him there to work with and learn from. Like all artists he was complicated, sincere, honest and so very emotional,” she posted on Instagram. “Like a raw nerve, he was so accessible and so in touch in his acting and I will always remember our time together fondly. We lost a great today.”
According to his IMDB profile, Lotta was presently involved in a number of projects.
“Cocaine Bear,” a thriller directed by actress Elizabeth Banks, is one of the titles. It’s about what happens to a drug smuggler’s cocaine after it goes missing in a plane accident and is eaten by a bear.
“When any actor of Ray’s caliber puts trust in you as a director, it’s a gift,” Banks posted on Instagram. “Ray’s respect for me as a director, actress and artist, as his boss on set, meant everything to me because if you can direct Henry Hill, you can do f**king anything in this town. I am so grateful Ray Liotta blessed my life. May he Rest In Peace.”
Liotta’s profile decreased in recent decades as A-list projects kept slipping through his grasp. However, he continued working nonstop. And Liotta’s interview with People suggested that the next stage of his career holds promise.
“It’s weird how this business works, because I’ve definitely had a career that’s up and down,” he added. “For some reason, I’ve been busier this year than I have in all the years that I’ve been doing this. And I still feel I’m not there yet. I just think there’s a lot more.”