Ray Liotta, one of the most recognizable actors who popularized the mafia genre, passed away at the age of 67. Best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece Goodfellas, was found dead in his sleep while filming Dangerous Waters.
Having started his career as a bartender, Liotta’s exceptional talent was noticed in one of his earliest roles as Joey Perrini in the soap opera Another World. However, the ambitious actor soon quit the series to try his luck on the big screen. After having made his debut in The Lonely Lady, the late actor found a major gig in Something Wild (1986), which earned him his first Golden Globe nomination. He subsequently appeared in Field of Dreams, another critically acclaimed movie to his name. However, the actor rose to stardom for playing real-life gangster Henry Hill in Scorsese’s Goodfellas, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest acting performances in film history.
After finding fame in the movie industry, the late actor also left a mark in the video-game world by playing the role of Tommy Vercetti in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and starring in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Liotta had also received critical acclaim for his role in Unlawful Entry, James Mangold’s Cop Land, and the neo-noir crime film Phoenix where he played a compulsive gambler to perfection. The actor had also worked with legendary director Ridley Scott in Hannibal (2001), where he played the role of Paul Krendler.
First reported by Deadline, the legendary actor was found dead in the Dominican Republic while filming Dangerous Waters. The actor had most recently made a comeback to the mafia genre in The Many Saints of Newark, a spin-off based on HBO’s The Sopranos. Despite having a limited screen time, Liotta easily managed to overshadow his co-stars in the crime-drama movie.
Related: 5 Crime Drama Movies Not Directed By Martin Scorsese That Should Be On Your Watchlist
As the tragic news of Ray Liotta’s death broke out, various directors and actors from the biz have poured in their heartfelt sympathies, praising not only the actor’s unparalleled talent but also his character. Logan director James Mangold, who worked with the actor in Cop Land shared his thoughts on the actor’s passing.
“Beyond the tough guy exterior and the tightly wound emotions of his signature characters, he was a sweet, playful and passionate collaborator and brilliant actor. RIP.”
https://twitter.com/mang0ld/status/1529861796395245571
Similarly, The Batman star Jeffery Wright and Everything Everywhere All At Once actor Jamie Lee Curtis also took to Twitter to express their grief.
Ray Liotta has died. His work as an actor showed his complexity as a human being. A gentle man. So sad to hear.
— Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) May 26, 2022
Ray Liotta. Man. Just met dude for the first time last year. GREAT actor. Nice to have had a chance to say that to him. RIP.
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) May 26, 2022
Today, the world is a little bit less shiny as it lost one of its shining stars a bit too soon. Rest in peace, wise guy.
