Ray Liotta, the man who famously portrayed Henry Hill in Martin Scorcese’s Goodfellas , has died. At the time of his tragic passing, the renowned Hollywood actor was just 67-years-old.
The shock and tragedy of Ray’s death have sent the entertainment world back on its heels . Now, in the wake of this heartbreaking news, various celebrities have begun to come forward in order to express their heartfelt sympathies .
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We gather here today to say goodbye to one of the best “bad guys” in cinematic history.
The reports have now officially been confirmed — renowned Hollywood actor Ray Liotta has died. At the time of his tragic passing, Ray was just 67-years-old.
Ray played a pivotal part in some of the most beloved films of the past 30 years.
Fans will no doubt recall Ray from his role as disgraced baseball player Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams , and from the time he played Fred Jung in Blow.
But of all Ray’s memorable and iconic films, the one that sticks out the most is ‘Goodfellas’.
Directed by the legendary Martin Scorcese, Goodfellas tells the true story of Henry Hill and his time spent with the mob. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards , including “Best Director” and “Best Picture.”
‘Goodfellas’ was also the film that secured Joe Pesci his first and only Oscar for “Best Actor in a Supporting Role.”
Of all the many memorable moments between Pesci and Liotta in the film, none are more iconic than the ad-libbed “Funny how?” scene .
According to Liotta’s publicist, the actor passed peacefully while sleeping in his hotel room.
Ray was in the Dominican Republic filming the forthcoming thriller Dangerous Waters . His fiancée, Jacy Nittolo, was also present at the time of his passing.
With the news of Ray’s untimely death now circulating all over the globe, fans, friends, and fellow colleagues have begun expressing their remembrances.
” I am utterly shattered to hear this terrible news about my Ray,” Goodfellas co-star Lorraine Bracco tweeted.
“I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is Goodfellas,” Bracco continued.
“Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same …Ray Liotta.”
Jennifer Lopez, Ray’s co-star in ‘Shades Of Blue’, described Ray as the epitome of a “tough guy” but with a heart of gold.
In JLo’s lengthy Twitter eulogy, the singer/actress made sure to mention how lucky she was to work with him and how much she learned just from being in his presence.
Legendary actor/director Kevin Costner has also made his feelings on Ray’s passing known.
“Devastated to hear the news of Ray Liotta’s passing,” Costner’s tweet began. “While he leaves an incredible legacy, he’ll always be “Shoeless Joe Jackson” in my heart .”
After examining the many tweets and heartfelt comments, a pattern has started to emerge.
One that tells the story of a kind soul who made a profound impact on everyone he met. Not just in front of the camera, but behind the scenes as well.
One of the most touching tales came courtesy of actor Taron Egerton.
Taron and Ray were co-stars in the forthcoming crime/drama, Black Bird . The series tells the story of Jimmy Keene after he makes a deal with the FBI to elicit a confession from a suspected serial murderer .
Taron begins his post by recalling the first day he met Liotta on set.
The Oscar-nominated actor explained how excited he was to be working with Liotta — especially since the pair were cast to play father and son.
“He caught my eye and walked over to me and hugged me without saying a word,” Taron’s post began.
” It was a long hug. But not uncomfortable ,” he wrote via Instagram. For the entirety of their first interaction, Taron and Ray only addressed one another in character.
“I think he wanted us to be a father and son before we were colleagues,” Egerton said.
Taron conveyed how truly proud he is of Black Bird and for the work he accomplished with his incredibly talented scene partners. But that he will always be most proud of the scenes he did with Ray.
Ray is survived by his fiancée, as well as his daughter, Karsen.
Ray leaves behind a film legacy that will live on for generations. His work will never be forgotten, nor will his kind and loving spirit ever leave the ones he so powerfully affected.
