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Ray Liotta’s Early Years
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02of 21Ray Liotta in GoodfellasPaul Sorvino (third from left) inGoodfellas(1990).Sunset Boulevard/Corbis/GettyLiotta got his start in the business with a handful of bit parts and a role on the soap operaAnother World,but it was his turn in 1990’sGoodfellas(here with Robert De Niro, Paul Sorvino and Joe Pesci) that truly put him on the map.“So many people saw it, and it’s a movie that keeps on giving,” he told PEOPLE in 2021. “Fathers show their sons.”
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Ray Liotta in Goodfellas
Paul Sorvino (third from left) inGoodfellas(1990).Sunset Boulevard/Corbis/Getty
Liotta got his start in the business with a handful of bit parts and a role on the soap operaAnother World,but it was his turn in 1990’sGoodfellas(here with Robert De Niro, Paul Sorvino and Joe Pesci) that truly put him on the map.
“So many people saw it, and it’s a movie that keeps on giving,” he told PEOPLE in 2021. “Fathers show their sons.”
03of 21Ray Liotta in Field of DreamsUniversalHe also made an impression one year prior as “Shoeless” Joe Jackson inField of Dreams —and, as he told PEOPLE, accidentally hit costar Kevin Costner (right) in the head with a bat while filming.
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Ray Liotta in Field of Dreams
Universal
He also made an impression one year prior as “Shoeless” Joe Jackson inField of Dreams —and, as he told PEOPLE, accidentally hit costar Kevin Costner (right) in the head with a bat while filming.
04of 21Ray Liotta in Something WildOrion Pictures/ZumaIn 1986, Liotta earned a Golden Globe nomination forSomething Wild.Costarring alongside Jeff Daniels and Melanie Griffith, he played Ray Sinclair, Griffith’s character’s violent ex-husband who had just been released from prison.
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Ray Liotta in Something Wild
Orion Pictures/Zuma
In 1986, Liotta earned a Golden Globe nomination forSomething Wild.Costarring alongside Jeff Daniels and Melanie Griffith, he played Ray Sinclair, Griffith’s character’s violent ex-husband who had just been released from prison.
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Ray Liotta in Cop Land
Liotta reunited with De Niro and acted alongside Sylvester Stallone in 1997’sCop Land, playing a conniving New York City cop who gets caught up in drama with his fellow officers in the New Jersey town where they live for a break from the big city.
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Ray Liotta Voices Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Liotta lent his talents to the 2002 video gameGrand Theft Auto: Vice City,voicing the gangster character Tommy Vercetti. Set in 1986 in a Miami-like city, players see Vercetti released from prison for murder, only to get tangled up in a drug deal gone wrong.
07of 21Ray Liotta in RevolverDaniel Smith/Europacorp/Kobal/ShutterstockIn 2005, Liotta starred alongside Jason Statham in this Guy Ritchie-directed film, playing gang boss Dorothy Macha, who sent Statham’s gambling character Jake Green to prison – inspiring him to seek a desperate revenge.
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Ray Liotta in Revolver
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In 2005, Liotta starred alongside Jason Statham in this Guy Ritchie-directed film, playing gang boss Dorothy Macha, who sent Statham’s gambling character Jake Green to prison – inspiring him to seek a desperate revenge.
08of 21Ray Liotta Wins an Emmy AwardRay Liotta.Liotta won his sole Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a drama series for his 2005 role on the hit NBC medical dramaERas an ex-con and alcoholic named Charlie Metcalf. Throughout his career, he was also nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Film Idependent Spirit Awards; he won one in 2020 alongside hisMarriage Storycastmates.
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Ray Liotta Wins an Emmy Award
Ray Liotta.
Liotta won his sole Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a drama series for his 2005 role on the hit NBC medical dramaERas an ex-con and alcoholic named Charlie Metcalf. Throughout his career, he was also nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Film Idependent Spirit Awards; he won one in 2020 alongside hisMarriage Storycastmates.
09of 21Ray Liotta Narrates Inside the MafiaPascal Le Segretain/GettyIn a nod to his best-known roles, Liotta narrated the 2005 National Geographic miniseriesInside the Mafia, which examinedthe incredible influence of the criminal organization, perIMDb.
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Ray Liotta Narrates Inside the Mafia
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty
In a nod to his best-known roles, Liotta narrated the 2005 National Geographic miniseriesInside the Mafia, which examinedthe incredible influence of the criminal organization, perIMDb.
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Ray Liotta Voices a Bad Guy in SpongeBob
Inset: Rich Polk/Getty
11of 21Ray Liotta in Date NightIn 2010, Liotta appeared alongside Steve Carell and Tina Fey inDate Night, playing a mob boss whose henchmen mistakenly target the couple – triggering a hilarious and terrifying chain of events.
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Ray Liotta in Date Night
In 2010, Liotta appeared alongside Steve Carell and Tina Fey inDate Night, playing a mob boss whose henchmen mistakenly target the couple – triggering a hilarious and terrifying chain of events.
12of 21Ray Liotta in The Son of No OneMillennium Films/Kobal/ShutterstockLiotta crossed paths professionally with Al Pacino for the first time inThe Son of No Onein 2011, in whichChanning Tatum,Katie Holmesand Tracy Morgan also starred. Liotta brought the heat as a crooked Queens cop who feared no consequences – to a chilling end.
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Ray Liotta in The Son of No One
Millennium Films/Kobal/Shutterstock
Liotta crossed paths professionally with Al Pacino for the first time inThe Son of No Onein 2011, in whichChanning Tatum,Katie Holmesand Tracy Morgan also starred. Liotta brought the heat as a crooked Queens cop who feared no consequences – to a chilling end.
13of 21Ray Liotta in Killing Them SoftlyB/Kobal/ShutterstockThe actor lit up the screen in 2012’sKilling Them Softlyas Markie Trattman, who runs high-stakes poker games for the mob – until things go haywire whenBrad Pittand James Gandolfini’s characters get involved.
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Ray Liotta in Killing Them Softly
B/Kobal/Shutterstock
The actor lit up the screen in 2012’sKilling Them Softlyas Markie Trattman, who runs high-stakes poker games for the mob – until things go haywire whenBrad Pittand James Gandolfini’s characters get involved.
14of 21Ray Liotta in The IcemanBleiberg Entertainment/Kobal/ShutterstockLiotta played another gangster inThe Icemanin 2012, stepping into the somber role of Roy DeMeo. Winona Ryder,Chris Evans, James Franco, Michael Shannon and David Schwimmer also starred.
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Ray Liotta in The Iceman
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Liotta played another gangster inThe Icemanin 2012, stepping into the somber role of Roy DeMeo. Winona Ryder,Chris Evans, James Franco, Michael Shannon and David Schwimmer also starred.
15of 21Ray Liotta and Daughter KarsenDimitrios Kambouris/GettyLiotta had one daughter, Karsen (right, withThe Place Beyond the Pinescostar Ryan Gosling at the 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards), with ex-wife Michelle Grace.“There’s nothing more important to me than my daughter,” Liotta told PEOPLE last year.
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Ray Liotta and Daughter Karsen
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Liotta had one daughter, Karsen (right, withThe Place Beyond the Pinescostar Ryan Gosling at the 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards), with ex-wife Michelle Grace.
“There’s nothing more important to me than my daughter,” Liotta told PEOPLE last year.
16of 21Ray Liotta on Shades of BlueSplash NewsLiotta told PEOPLE he “enjoyed” working withJennifer Lopezon their NBC cop drama,Shades of Blue,from 2016 to 2018. And though he was known for many of his tough-guy characters, “I have never been in a fight!” he told PEOPLE.
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Ray Liotta on Shades of Blue
Splash News
Liotta told PEOPLE he “enjoyed” working withJennifer Lopezon their NBC cop drama,Shades of Blue,from 2016 to 2018. And though he was known for many of his tough-guy characters, “I have never been in a fight!” he told PEOPLE.
17of 21Ray Liotta and Fiancée Jacy NittoloRay Liotta/InstagramIn December of 2020,the actor revealedthat he had proposed to girlfriendJacy Nittolo.“Christmas wishes do come true,” Liottawrote on Instagramalongside a photograph of the two in front of a Christmas tree. “I asked the love of my life to marry me, and thank God she said yes!!!“On her respective Instagram account, Nittoloshared the same shot, as well as an outtake from their adorable holiday shoot. “💍🥂🍾,” she wrote alongside the post.
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Ray Liotta and Fiancée Jacy Nittolo
Ray Liotta/Instagram
In December of 2020,the actor revealedthat he had proposed to girlfriendJacy Nittolo.
“Christmas wishes do come true,” Liottawrote on Instagramalongside a photograph of the two in front of a Christmas tree. “I asked the love of my life to marry me, and thank God she said yes!!!”
On her respective Instagram account, Nittoloshared the same shot, as well as an outtake from their adorable holiday shoot. “💍🥂🍾,” she wrote alongside the post.
18of 21Ray Liotta in The Many Saints of NewarkBarry Wetcher/Warner Bros. PicturesIn 2021, Liotta scored a spot in the star-studdedMany Saints of Newarkcast, playing both Hollywood Dick and Sal Moltisanti. “I still like to play different kinds of characters,” he told PEOPLE at the time.
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Ray Liotta in The Many Saints of Newark
Barry Wetcher/Warner Bros. Pictures
In 2021, Liotta scored a spot in the star-studdedMany Saints of Newarkcast, playing both Hollywood Dick and Sal Moltisanti. “I still like to play different kinds of characters,” he told PEOPLE at the time.
19of 21Ray Liotta on Hannah Montana and BeyondJaimie Trueblood/Disney Channel via GettyThe actor reached new generations of fans with guest spots on shows likeHannah Montana(right),The League, Modern FamilyandYoung Sheldon, plus voice roles in series and movies includingThe Simpsons, Family GuyandBee Movie.
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Ray Liotta on Hannah Montana and Beyond
Jaimie Trueblood/Disney Channel via Getty
The actor reached new generations of fans with guest spots on shows likeHannah Montana(right),The League, Modern FamilyandYoung Sheldon, plus voice roles in series and movies includingThe Simpsons, Family GuyandBee Movie.
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Ray Liotta on Hanna
Christopher Raphael/Amazon Prime
The actor’s most recent project was Amazon Prime’sHanna,in which he tackled the role of villain Gordon Evans. “I"m really glad I did this,” he told PEOPLE.
21of 21Ray Liotta’s Parting WordsElisabeth Caren/Contour/GettyLiotta died in his sleepin the Dominican Republic in late May of 2022, PEOPLE confirmed. He was 67 years old.In his 2021 interview, he told PEOPLE “[I] am not in the mood to die. And as you get older, there’s a perspective of that getting closer.““For some reason,” he shared, “I’ve been busier this year than I have in all the years that I’ve been doing this. But I still feel I’m not done yet. I just think there’s a lot more.”
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Ray Liotta’s Parting Words
Elisabeth Caren/Contour/Getty
Liotta died in his sleepin the Dominican Republic in late May of 2022, PEOPLE confirmed. He was 67 years old.
In his 2021 interview, he told PEOPLE “[I] am not in the mood to die. And as you get older, there’s a perspective of that getting closer.”
“For some reason,” he shared, “I’ve been busier this year than I have in all the years that I’ve been doing this. But I still feel I’m not done yet. I just think there’s a lot more.”
source: people.com
