Ray Liotta
☼ Born on 18 December 1954, in Newark, New Jersey, USA
† Died on 26 December 2022, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, cause heart and respiratory complications
Biography
Intense was the word for Ray Liotta. He specialized in psychopathic characters who hide behind a cultivated charm. Even in his nice-guy roles in Field of Dreams (1989) and Operation Dumbo Drop (1995), you get the impression that something is smoldering inside of him. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, and was adopted by Mary (Edgar), a township clerk, and Alfred Liotta, an auto parts store owner. He studied acting at the University of Miami, where he became friends with Steven Bauer (Scarface (1983), Thief of Hearts (1984)). He spent his first years acting in TV: Another World (1964), a TV movie and several short-lived series. He broke into movies with the black comedy Something Wild (1986), which garnered him rave reviews. Originally unable to get a reading, he was recommended for the part by Melanie Griffith (then married to Bauer).
Following the success Something Wild (1986), he received more offers in the "psycho" vein, but refused them to avoid being typecast. Instead, he made "little movies" like Dominick and Eugene (1988), which earned him standing as an actor's actor, and Field of Dreams (1989), whose success always surprised him. When he heard Martin Scorsese was casting Goodfellas (1990), he lobbied hard for the part of Henry Hill. The film's huge success brought him wide popularity and garnered him star billing in future films such as Article 99 (1992), Unlawful Entry (1992), and Unforgettable (1996).
Liotta died on May 26, 2022, aged 67, in his sleep while filmin
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g on location in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
In the role of actor
Cocaine Bear (23/02/2023)
A bear goes on a rampage in a National Park after ingesting cocaine in Cocaine Bear. Multiple duffle bags containing cocaine are dumped out of a plane into the Chattahoochee National Forest right before the drug runner dies while trying to skydive. St. Louis drug lord Sydney White (Ray Liotta) sends his song Eddie (Alden […]
Blindspot 2014: Goodfellas (30/09/2014)
It is time for my second Martin Scorsese blindspot of the year, as I watch his 1990 mafia drama Goodfellas. Based on true events, the film tells of the story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), who has always idolized the mafia and he begins working for a local crime family as a teenager, being taken […]
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (23/08/2014)
Nine years after the original, Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller return for more tales from Sin City. In the titular story A Dame to Kill For, photographer Dwight McCarthy (Josh Brolin) is approached for a favour by his highly seductive ex-lover Ava Lord (Eva Green). However, Dwight soon gets more than he bargained for and […]
Killing Them Softly (02/12/2012)
It is obvious from the opening credits that Killing Them Softly is more art film than crime film. Sure, the film focuses on a hitman named Jackie (Brad Pitt), who is called in to kill those responsible in a robbery. However, the film moves at quite a slow pace, which features much more talking than […]
Youth in Revolt (21/01/2010)
It’s hard to argue that Michael Cera‘s career has been a bit of a one trick pony. This film looked to shake things up with a bit by having Cera in a double-role, one which is the complete opposite of the characters Cera is usually known for. If only that side of Cera got more […]
Observe and Report (12/04/2009)
The busy weekend involving both my birthday and Easter has prevented me from posting my thought on this film until now. At the very least I can say that this was a funny film, even though it was clear that Seth Rogen‘s character was a bi-polar sociopath and you technically shouldn’t be laughing at the […]