Martin Scorseseis paying tribute to hisGoodfellasstarRay Liotta.
The Emmy Award-winning actor died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic, PEOPLE confirmed Thursday. He was engaged to fiancéeJacy Nittolo, and he was dad to daughter Karsen, 23, with ex-wife Michelle Grace.
Liotta is probably best known for playing real-life mobster Henry Hill in the 1990 Oscar-winning classic. Widely considered one of the greatest films of all time, the gangster epic received six Academy Award nominations and one win.
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Continued the legendary director: “Playing Henry Hill inGoodfellaswas a tall order, because the character had so many different facets, so many complicated layers, and Ray was in almost every scene of a long, tough shoot. He absolutely amazed me, and I’ll always be proud of the work we did together on that picture. My heart goes out to his loved ones, and it aches for his loss, way too early.”
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“I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie isGoodfellas,” she shared onTwitteralongside a photo of her and Liotta. “Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same…Ray Liotta.”
Paul Sorvino (third from left) inGoodfellas(1990).Sunset Boulevard/Corbis/Getty
GoodfellascostarsRobert De Niroand Paul Sorvino also shared their condolences after Liotta’s passing in separate statements to PEOPLE.
“I was very saddened to learn of Ray’s passing. He is way too young to have left us,” De Niro said.
Sorvino shared, “Ray was a terrific actor and a ‘goodfella’ in the best sense of the word. He was great to work with and a good friend. I’m really going to miss him.”
RELATED VIDEO: RememberingGoodfellasActor Ray Liotta
Liotta was as busy as ever in the years leading up to his death, recently appearing in theSopranosprequel movieThe Many Saints of Newarkand the Amazon Prime seriesHanna. Plus he was currently filming the movieDangerous Waters.
Liottaspoke to PEOPLE in Novemberabout how his personality differed from the tough-guy roles he played in movies likeGoodfellas. “I have never been in a fight at all, except for during sports, and that’s just pushing and goofy kid stuff,” he said at the time.
He added of his career, “It’s weird how this business works, because I’ve definitely had a career that’s up and down. For some reason, I’ve been busier this year than I have in all the years that I’ve been doing this. And I still feel I’m not there yet. I just think there’s a lot more.”
source: people.com
