Actor played the lead role in acclaimed gangster biopic Goodfellas. He was 67
Hollywood’s producer and actor Ray Liotta passes away at 67. He rose to fame when he played the lead role in Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed gangster biopic Goodfellas. The actor’s representative passed the news. has died at the age of 67. As per the news, the actor passed away in his sleep at the Dominican Republic where he was shooting dangerous waters. He is survived by his daughter Karsen and fiancee Jacy Nittolo.
Liotta a star of many comebacks, star known for big screen roles
Liotta had a comeback stories which included ‘The Many Saints of Newark, Marriage Story’ . The actor received a 2020 Ensemble Indie Spirit Award. Also he finished the Elizabeth Banks directed Cocaine Bear and was due to act in the film titled ‘The Substance’ opposite Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. Besides the above he had set his eyes on producing a real time Television series ‘Five Families’ on the lives of New York’s mafia’s Genovese, Gambino, Bonnano, Colombo and Lucchese families.
GoodFellas Ray Liotta passes away, Interesting Facts about movie
Arguably the most popular movie ever made on organized crime, the movie starred a trio of actors Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro, and Joe Pesci starred in Goodfellas. Based on a true story, the movie is ranked as one of the greatest gangster dramas ever made alongside the The Godfather, Scarface, and Casino. Here are some interesting facts associated with the movie.
Interesting Facts about the movie
- Producers initially wanted Tom Cruise and Madonna to play the roles of Henry Hill and Karen. Madonna’s ex-husband Sean Penn was also considered for Henry. Hill is the real life gangster whose story inspired the movie.
- Jimmy Burke, aka Jimmy “The Gent” or “The Big Irishman,” was a bricklayer turned gangster who authorities believe was behind the $6 million airline fraud at the center of the movie and the subsequent murders of many of the people involved. Al Pacino was offered the part of Jimmy, renamed Jimmy Conway in the movie, but passed.
- One of the most popular event in the movie Goodfellas is the nightclub kitchen is probably the most famous moment in Goodfellas for cinephiles. However it was not the part of the original plan. Scene was reshot many times which ruined the end of the shot.
Goodfellas was an epic movie. Here are some more Facts
- The first shot of the Goodfellas was the commercial for Morrie’s Wigs. To give the scene an authentic look, the makers reached out to real-life businessman who’d made those kinds of ads, and had him write and direct the Morrie’s Wigs spot.
- Joe Pesci won the only Goodfellas Oscar for his portrayal of Tommy DeVito, a character based on Tommy “Two-Gun” DeSimone. His acting was so convincing that the real Henry Hill commented that performance was “90 to 99 percent accurate.
- Pesci and DeNiro changed almost the entire conversation at the dinner table with Tommy’s mother .Martin Scorsese’s real life mother played the role. Liotta’s Henry, of course, is famously silent for most of it.
- F word was written into the movie 70 times.
- Michael Imperioli cut his hand on broken glass while filming the scene where Tommy shoots his character Spider. He looked so real that the doctors at the hospital thought he was really injured. Once they learnt these were fake, they made him wait to get treated.
- One of the greatest television shows The Sopranos has 20 members of Goodfellas comes up in conversation in several episodes. Perhaps most notably, there’s the Season One scene where Christopher shoots a baker in the foot. As he leaves the bakery, Christopher says dismissively, “It happens.”
- Also Ray Liotta did not know that Paul Sorvino was going to slap him. In a scene Paulie tells Henry to stay away from Drug dealing and interrupted the advice with a slap. Sorvino improvised.
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