Ray Liotta: From ‘Something Wild’ to His Final Role in ‘Dangerous Waters,’ He Was One of a Kind

The actor was best known for portraying psychopathic characters that could mask their insane tendencies in the persona of a good guy, but Ray Liotta portrayed actual good guys, too, and had a massively successful career doing both.

Ray Liotta first rose to fame in the film Something Wild (1986), earning a Golden Globe nomination, but that wasn’t his first role, having appeared in Another World (1981), Casablanca (1983) and Our Family Honor (1985).

And while the Emmy award-winning actor starred in dozens of major films and TV series, including Field of Dreams (1989), Goodfellas (1990) and Revolver (2005), you might be surprised to see what the actor had been in before the world tragically lost him.

Entertainment

Before ‘Overboard’ and ‘Backdraft,’ A Young Kurt Russell Captivated Audiences

The hunky actor earned his place in Hollywood and in our hearts well before his blockbuster films

Early days of Ray Liotta young

Born in Newark, New Jersey on December 18, 1954, Liotta first got the acting bug when he attended the University of Miami and decided to study drama. His early acting days included projects like Crazy Times (1981) and Another World , which he had a stint on from 1978 to 1981. There was also a guest appearance on an episode of the medical comedy, St. Elsewhere (1983).

Entertainment

Medical Dramas on Hulu: The 8 Best Series to Binge, STAT!

Paging all to check out and binge these classic series!

He soon had his breakout role in Something Wild , where he portrayed Ray Sinclair. This role really spawned his film career and he soon starred in Dominick and Eugene (1988) and Field of Dreams (1989).

Ray Liotta young becomes a Goodfella

In 1990, Liotta was cast in what is probably his best-known and most acclaimed role in the film Goodfellas . Starring alongside Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, the actor played Henry Hill, a man in the mafia who is unaware of what his role in the mob means.

The Oscar-winning film brought Liotta more fame than he expected. He recalled how he got the part of Henry Hill, saying that he met Martin Scorsese at a premiere. “ I said, ‘I just want to talk to Marty .’ He saw me do that, and he said that’s when he knew he wanted to cast me [as Henry Hill], because he’d just assumed I was the aggressive guy from Something Wild . I was, like, ‘Whatever you want, I’ll do it.’ So that’s what happened, and I was off and running. I didn’t know it would turn out how it did.”

Related

‘The Sopranos’ Cast: Revisit the Stars Who Brought the Hit Drama To Life

Of course, Scorsese was right about his instinct to cast Liotta, because Goodfellas is now considered one of the greatest films of all time.

Liotta’s expansive film career

The actor’s film career skyrocketed after his role in Goodfellas , scoring films like No Escape (1994), Corrina, Corrina (1994), Cop Land (1997), The Rat Pack (1998) and Hannibal (2001). He also had 1-episode appearances in shows like Family Guy (2001), ER (2004), which he won a Primetime Emmy for, and SpongeBob SquarePants (2008).

Later on, he had roles in The Iceman (2012), Muppets Most Wanted (2014) and Kill the Messenger (2014). In 2016, he booked the series Shades of Blue , opposite Jennifer Lopez . When the series came to an end in 2018, Liotta said, “ I’m truly going to miss doing it. I can do another 13.”

Related

How a Young Jennifer Lopez Made Her Mark on the Entertainment World

Later years of Ray Liotta

Liotta married Michelle Grace in 1997, whom he had daughter Karsen Liotta, with. The couple divorced amicably in 2004.

Liotta later starred in Marriage Story (2019), Hubie Halloween (2020) and Syndrome K (2021). Sadly, he passed away in 2022 from respiratory issues, while in the Dominican Republic filming Dangerous Waters . That film would be his last.

His Dangerous Water costar, Eric Dane, shared his sadness over the loss of Liotta. “I think he was somebody that people enjoyed working with. He was a dynamic actor and a force on screen.”

Lorraine Bracco, who played his wife in Goodfellas , shared that she was “ utterly shattered ” to hear about his passing. She explained in a post, “[People] ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same…Ray Liotta.”

Ray Liotta was truly one of the greats in film and entertainment, and his work and incredible life will not be soon forgotten.