Ray Liotta ‘Never Even Wanted To Be An Actor’ But Got ‘Really Lucky’ With Successful Career

May 30, 2022

The world lost one of its brightest stars on May 26, 2022, when Ray Liotta passed away in his sleep in the Dominican Republic. He was 67 years old at the time and was engaged to a woman by the name of Jacy Nittolo.

During his life, Liotta had an illustrious career. He was best known for his work as an actor and producer, specifically for playing the role of Henry Hill in the 1990 film “Goodfellas.” The biographical crime movie was directed by Martin Scorsese and was based on the 1985 nonfiction book “Wiseguy” by Nicholas Pileggi, who also wrote the film’s screenplay. Alongside Liotta, the film featured other notable stars such as Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino. To this day, it is still regarded as one of the best films ever made.

However, Liotta’s career was incredibly expansive and featured more than just “Goodfellas.” Born on Dec. 18, 1954, in Newark, New Jersey, Liotta grew up in a very unique family as he was adopted and had adopted siblings, biological siblings and half-siblings. He studied acting in college and acted in many plays during this time before making it to the mainstream entertainment scene around the late 1970s.

Some of Liotta’s most recognized projects include “Field of Dreams,” “Shades of Blue” and “The Rat Pack.” He also lent his voice to the video game “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.” He had an eclectic range and thrived both in his career and in his personal life. Let’s take a look at Liotta’s impressive career over the years and the fulfilling life he led.

While Liotta will be remembered for his career in both acting and producing, many people may be surprised to know that Liotta never had intentions of becoming an actor. “I’d never even wanted to be an actor,” he told Square Mile. He originally went to college just for liberal arts but figured he’d later get a job in construction. However, once he joined the drama department – something that he had also done in high school – he found himself really enjoying it. He explained:

“But it was just fun, so because of Buckets (drama teacher) I went back and started getting leads. I was getting nice feedback and reviews and stayed for four years. I thought, ‘I’m gonna do this, I’m gonna give it a shot.’”

Liotta was a long-time actor with a career spanning four decades. He has played both good guys and bad guys throughout his years in both film and television. “Goodfellas” is one of, if not the most, recognized film in Liotta’s filmography. The actor spoke with Men’s Journal about how appreciative he was to be part of such an iconic movie. He said:

“It is great. I don’t know if people would know what I did if it wasn’t for that movie. There was an actor who said back in the day, ‘If you get one movie that people remember past the time that it is out, that is an amazing thing.’ I got really lucky with ‘Goodfellas.’”

While many people remember the actor for his portrayal of Henry Hill in “Goodfellas,” Liotta’s career was based on so much more than just one single role. 

Speaking with Men’s Journal, Liotta talked about what it was like working on the gritty cop drama series “Shades of Blue,” which also starred Jennifer Lopez. The show had a short run, airing from Jan. 2016 to Aug. 2018.

“I think they started to really understand that they could go as dark as they wanted with me,” Liotta said. “I thought the darker the better. That’s why I was hoping that we could continue doing the show and just taken it a little further.”

Liotta spoke more about the types of characters he enjoyed portraying over the years. “I have played a lot of nice guys who are also scumbags,” he said. “I really find that kind of character more interesting, because it is probably the closest to real life.”

On top of working in numerous films and television shows, Liotta also had the privilege of working alongside some Hollywood legends and people he truly admired. He told Men’s Journal that some of his favorite people to work with were Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Anthony Hopkins and Robert De Niro.

In his personal life, Liotta had been married to actress and producer Michelle Grace from 1997 to 2004. They had one daughter together. At the time of his death on May 26, 2022, Liotta had been engaged to Lucy Nittolo, whom he’d been engaged to since Dec. 2020, according to Us Weekly.

Liotta accomplished a lot during his life, from being nominated for several prestigious awards to finding love and leading a very fulfilling career. His legacy will surely be remembered whenever people view any of his impressive films and TV shows.

What is your favorite film or TV show that Ray Liotta starred in? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones.