In a legendary career of humor, heavies, and heartwarming projects, actor Ray Liotta could play to every corner of humanity. The star of movies like Goodfellas and Field of Dreams, his resume ran the table, leaving behind memorable performances that defined his legacy. Today, we look back at those roles, as Liotta has suddenly passed away at the age of 67; just as he was working on an upcoming movie.
Deadline broke the news, which also noted that Liotta was in the middle of shooting his latest project, Dangerous Waters. At this time, no cause of death has been pronounced, just that Ray Liotta had passed in his sleep. He is survived by daughter Karsen, and his fiancee Jacy Nittolo.
Getting his start in the world of television, Ray Liotta’s acting career started in 1978, with the role of Joey Perrini on the hit NBC soap opera Another World. It wasn’t until 1983 that Liotta would break into the world of movies, thanks to a role in the adaptation of author Harold Robbins’ novel The Lonely Lady.
Ray Liotta would eventually land the one, two punch of starring as Shoeless Joe Jackson in the soon-to-be-remade baseball drama Field of Dreams, as well as mobster Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese’s saga Goodfellas. Within the span of a little over a year, he showed the world a tender portrait of a disgraced sportsman, as well as a wild journey through the world of organized crime. Both would remain as perfect landmarks on a resume that would add even more to its impressive canon.
In the decades that would follow, Ray Liotta pretty much did it all. The Newark, New Jersey born talent would even land roles in video games like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, as well as not one, but two movies Liotta would share with The Muppets. This was on top of playing despicable villains, like Paul Krendler in Ridley Scott’s Hannibal, as well as voicing animated roles like Moe’s dad on The Simpsons, and projects like Bee Movie and Spongebob Squarepants.
Most recently, Liotta was seen as ramping up to a career renaissance, through roles in the HBO Max crime thrillers No Sudden Move and The Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark. Among Ray Liotta's final roles are director Elizabeth Banks’ “insane” Cocaine Bear movie, as well as the streaming series Black Bird, which will debut for Apple TV+ subscribers later this year.
Playing silly and sinister to a tee, Ray Liotta leaves a litany of performances that show just how wide his range was. Able to goof around as easily as he could take the fight to an enemy, his presence throughout all media will be missed. In the aftermath of his untimely passing, we here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to Liotta’s family and friends in this time of grieving.
