Intense is the word for Ray Liotta. He specializes in psychopathic characters who hide behind a cultivated charm. Even in his nice guy roles in _Field of Dreams .
Last name is pronounced Lee-oh-ta.
One of the roles he played while at the University of Miami was as one of the Von Trapp children (Kurt) in the 1974 production of "The Sound of Music." Also appearing in that production was Gail Edwards.
Attended Union High School in Union, New Jersey. Was inducted into the schools Hall of Fame during the 1992-1993 school year.
Adopted when 6 months old.
His best friend is Josh Taylor.
Worked in a cemetery while he was at college.
Became a father for the 1st time at age 44 when his [now ex] wife Michelle Grace gave birth to their daughter Karsen Liotta in December 1998.
In Blow , Liotta plays father to George Jung (Johnny Depp ), who reportedly was responsible for 85% of all cocaine distributed in the US in the late 1970s/early 80s. Therefore, there is an 85% chance that Liottas son in Blow is distributing cocaine to Liotta, playing Henry Hill in Goodfellas .
British rock band Linoleum recorded a song called Ray Liotta (on their 1997 album Dissent).
Played baseball player "Shoeless" Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams . Ex-wife, Michelle Grace is also the ex-wife of baseball player Mark Grace.
He gained about 20 pounds and wore small lifts to appear even more imposing and bear-like while playing Henry Oak in Narc .
In contrast to his intense, often evil characters, he is by all accounts a nice, well-adjusted family-man off screen.
Is an avid supporter of English Premiership football team Tottenham Hotspur and has been in the crowd for a few matches at White Hart Lane, sometimes giving pre-match interviews on the touchline.
Director Antoine Fuqua wanted to cast Liotta in American Gangster before the film was put on hold and Fuqua was replaced.
Has appeared in a film for Jonathan Demme ( Something Wild ), and his nephew Ted Demme ( Blow ). He also appeared in Hannibal , the sequel to Demmes film The Silence of the Lambs . So, while he has appeared in a Demme film and a Lecter film, he has never done both at the same time.
Rays adoptive father was the son of Italian immigrants, and Rays adoptive mother was the daughter of Scottish parents. In a 2001 interview with Smoke Magazine, Liotta said that his biological parents ancestry is "mostly Scottish with a bit of Italian". In 2006, he tracked down his biological mother and learned that his biological father was not Italian at all.
When he was six months old, he was adopted from a Newark, New Jersey, orphanage by Mary Miller (Edgar) and Alfred Liotta, the owners of a chain of automotive-supply stores. One of his earliest memories is of helping his parents pick out Linda, his sister, at an orphanage when he was three years old.
Was Tim Burton s first choice to play Harvey Dent in Batman , but turned it down to do Goodfellas instead.
Has a nephew who is also named Ray Liotta who plays on a farm team for the Kansas City Royals.
Claims that he only did Operation Dumbo Drop for the money.
Was the original choice for the role of Dignam in The Departed , however had to reluctantly decline due to other commitments.
Lives in Pacific Palisades, California.
Despite frequently playing violent characters onscreen, he claims to have never gotten into a fight in his life.
Friends with Pamela Bowen. He, Pamela and Josh Taylor were in the same acting class for 4 years.
He was inducted into the 2016 New Jersey Hall of Fame in the Performance Arts category.
He turned down the role of Tony Soprano in "The Sopranos" . He was later offered the role of Ralph Cifaretto, but turned it down. Several castmembers from Goodfellas appeared in the series.
He was considered for the role of Jackson Ripper in Red Eye .
He admitted that took the role of Tommy Vercetti in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City purely for the money. In an MTV interview, he admitted that hes never even seen or played the game. In another interview he was asked if could do the role again, knowing it was a going to be hit. What would he have done differently. His reply was "Ask for more money".
He turned down Tom Arnold s role in Happy Endings .
He was considered for Tim Robbins role in Short Cuts .
On February 19, 2007, Liotta was arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing his Cadillac Escalade into two parked vehicles in Pacific Palisades. He pleaded no contest.
He was considered to voice Scar in The Lion King .
He was originally cast in Giallo , but dropped out. Adrien Brody replaced him.
He turned down the role of Frank "The Cucumber" de Marco in Married to the Mob that went to Alec Baldwin.
He was offered the role of Detective Rick Calucci in "CSI: NY" ..
He was a candidate to play the Master in Doctor Who .
He was originally cast as Detective Mullane in 13 , but dropped out. David Zayas replaced him.
He was a candidate to play Count Dracula in Dracula .
He was considered for John Turturro s role in Fear X .
He was originally cast as DEA Agent Willie "Woody" Dumas in Perdita Durango when Bigas Luna was attached to direct. The role went to James Gandolfini.
He turned down Forest Whitaker s role in Phone Booth .
"I only did it to get my foot in the door and because you never know,what can happen. " - On his first film, The Lonely Lady (1983) .
What I really am is a homebody. I was a homebody even before I had a,family. My days are filled with home stuff.
I subscribe to the theory that luck is when preparation meets,opportunity.
[on how he got started in acting] I went to the University of Miami,because, basically, at that time, if you had a pulse, you could get in.
Not like Chinese food, where you eat it and then you feel hungry an hour later. .
