Ray Liotta tributes: Lorraine Bracco honors the Goodfellas actor
‘I am utterly shattered’: Ray Liotta’s devastated Goodfellas co-star Lorraine Bracco leads tributes as Hollywood reacts to his shock death at age 67
His Goodfellas screen wife Bracco said she was ‘utterly shattered’ by the news of his shock death at 67She said the best part of making the 1990 hit mobster movie was working with LiottaJennifer Love Hewitt, who acted with Liotta on the 2001 film Heartbreakers, shared a sweet tribute She said, ‘I’m heart broken. I loved the time we spent and memories we made. You will be so missed’ Alessandra Nivola – who recently worked with Liotta on The Many Saints Of New York – wrote: ‘RIP Ray Liotta’ Jamie Lee Curtis said, ‘His work as an actor showed his complexity as a human being. A gentle man’His friend Josh Brolin shared: ‘My buddy. My friend. How so soon? Why? I’ll miss you’Helena Christensen wrote in the comments section: ‘Oh man what an immense actor he was ♥️’ And actor Joe Pantoliano said: ‘WHAT!!!! No! Omg!’ He added he was just thinking about RayActress Viola Davis shared, ‘RIP Ray Liotta!! Loved your work (heart emoji)’ Kristin Chenoweth tweeted: ‘RIP GOODFELLA Ray Liotta. I adored you. I love knowing you all those years ago’Devon Sawa added, ‘I try not to do the RIPs but Ray Liotta was truly one of my favorites to watch’Seth Rogen also took to social media to pay his respects. ‘I can’t believe Ray Liotta has passed away’
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Lorraine Bracco has revealed she is ‘utterly shattered’ following the shock death of her Goodfellas co-star Ray Liotta on Thursday.
The actor – who was best known for the Martin Scorsese movie – died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic, where he was shooting the film Dangerous Waters, according to Deadline.
Soon after news broke, tributes rolled in for the New Jersey native.
Bracco, who played his wife in the hit 1990 mobster movie, said: ‘I am utterly shattered to hear this terrible news about my Ray.
‘I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is Goodfellas. Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same…Ray Liotta.’
And another Goodfellas co-star, Robert De Niro, also paid his respects: ‘I was very saddened to learn of Ray’s passing. He is way too way young to have left us. May he Rest in Peace.’
Sad loss: Hollywood icon Ray Liotta has reportedly passed away at the age of 67. And soon after tributes from stars flooded into social media. Seen in 2021
Her tribute: His Goodfellas costar Lorraine Bracco, who played his wife in the hit 1990 movie, said: ‘I am utterly shattered to hear this terrible news about my Ray. I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is Goodfellas. Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same…Ray Liotta’; seen left in Goodfellas and right in 2012
A sad farewell on social media: Bracco also shared an image with the actor at a Hollywood event in 2012
Jennifer Love Hewitt, who acted with Liotta on the 2001 film Heartbreakers, shared a sweet tribute as she said, ‘I’m heart broken. I loved the time we spent and memories we made. You will be so missed.’
The actress shared a broken heart emoji and a photo of a dove with an olive branch.
Alessandra Nivola – who recently worked with Liotta on The Many Saints Of New York – wrote: ‘RIP Ray Liotta. I feel so lucky to have squared off against this legend in one of his final roles. The scenes we did together were among the all time highlights of my acting career.
‘He was dangerous, unpredictable, hilarious, and generous with his praise for other actors. Too soon.’
Jamie Lee Curtis said, ‘His work as an actor showed his complexity as a human being. A gentle man. So sad to hear.’
And Viola Davis shared, ‘RIP Ray Liotta!! Loved your work (heart emoji).’
Former costars: Jennifer Love Hewitt, who worked with Liotta on the 2001 film Heartbreakers, shared a sweet tribute as she said, ‘I’m heart broken. I loved the time we spent and memories we made. You will be so missed.’ The actress shared a broken heart emoji and a photo of a dove with an olive branch
They worked together: Alessandra Nivola wrote: ‘RIP Ray Liotta. I feel so lucky to have squared off against this legend in one of his final roles. The scenes we did together were among the all time highlights of my acting career’; seen in The Many Saints Of Newark
Josh Brolin shared a black and white photo of the star as he wrote: ‘My buddy. My friend. How so soon? Why? I’ll miss you.
‘I will think about seeing you at Gold’s often, talking about what to do next, how to find something together. I always looked up to you — the work was always so good, but the man you were always stood out among the rest of them. Yes, I will miss you, pal. Until we meet again, wherever they say that is. ❤️❤️’
Helena Christensen wrote in the comments section: ‘Oh man what an immense actor he was ♥️.’
And actor Joe Pantoliano said: ‘WHAT!!!! No! Omg! I was watering the lawn this morning and I was thinking about Ray he popped into my head. Oh No! RIP RAY RAY…’
Hard to hear about: Jamie Lee Curtis said, ‘His work as an actor showed his complexity as a human being. A gentle man. So sad to hear’
Too soon: Josh Brolin shared a black and white photo of the star as he wrote: ‘My buddy. My friend. How so soon? Why? I’ll miss you’
Seth’s words: Seth Rogen also took to social media to pay his respects. ‘I can’t believe Ray Liotta has passed away. He was such a lovely, talented and hilarious person. Working with him was one of the great joys of my career and we made some of my favorite scenes I ever got to be in. A true legend of immense skill and grace.’ Seth and Ray co-starred in the 2009 movie Observe And Report
Kristin Chenoweth tweeted: ‘RIP GOODFELLA Ray Liotta. I adored you. I love knowing you all those years ago.’
Seth Rogen also took to social media to pay his respects.
‘I can’t believe Ray Liotta has passed away. He was such a lovely, talented and hilarious person. Working with him was one of the great joys of my career and we made some of my favorite scenes I ever got to be in. A true legend of immense skill and grace.’
He took time for this: Recluse Rob Kardashian of Keeping Up With The Kardashians shared a post for Liotta
Seth and Ray co-starred in the 2009 movie Observe And Report.
Devon Sawa added, ‘I try not to do the RIPs but Ray Liotta was truly one of my favorites to watch.
‘He just has this magnetic draw to his performances, which is part of the reason Goddfellas remains tied with Aliens as my favorite film(s) ever made.
‘This one stung more than usual.’
Rosanna Arquette shared: ‘I’m really sad to hear that Ray Liotta has passed away. He was an friend back in the day and it’s very sad. We had a lot of laughs Rest In Peace My friend.’
They go way back: Kristin Chenoweth tweeted: ‘RIP GOODFELLA Ray Liotta. I adored you. I love knowing you all those years ago’
He was loved: And Viola Davis shared, ‘RIP Ray Liotta!! Loved your work (heart emoji)’
Peace: Rosanna Arquette shared: ‘I’m really sad to hear that Ray Liotta has passed away. He was an friend back in the day and it’s very sad. We had a lot of laughs Rest In Peace My friend’
Melissa Gilbert posted a note from her husband Timothy Busfield who shared a behind-the-scenes story from their 1989 film Field Of Dreams.
‘In the iconic moment in Field of Dreams when Ray Liotta‘s character says to Kevin Costner’s, “is this heaven?” And Kevin‘s response is, “ no it’s Iowa.”, a fog had settled into the outfield, which was perfect for that moment, but Ray had been wrapped for the day.
‘John Lindley and Director Phil Robinson decided to shoot that scene then, against that majestic and mysterious fog bank. It was before cell phones. So they sent production assistants to scour the bars of Debuque to bring him back.
‘They found him and he didn’t say no, I’m off work. He drove the 45 minutes back to Dyersville, changed back into his uniform, and played the scene. Perfectly. He had great great game. In all his movies. He was a sweet man. RIP my brother. You’ll be missed.’
It stings: Devon Sawa added, ‘I try not to do the RIPs but Ray Liotta was truly one of my favorites to watch’
Jeffrey Wright posted: ‘Ray Liotta. Man. Just met dude for the first time last year. GREAT actor. Nice to have had a chance to say that to him. RIP.’
Cary Elwes noted: ‘Very sad to hear the news this morning about the passing of #RayLiotta. An extraordinary talent whose remarkable performances left an indelible mark on the screen. Our deepest condolences to his family. RIP Ray.’
He leaves behind his fiancé Jacy Nittolo as well as his daughter Karsen, 23, with ex-wife Michelle Grace.
Liotta’s sudden death shocked fans as he embarked on a huge resurgence in recent years, staring alongside up and coming thespians such as Taron Egerton.
Prayers for Ray: Cary Elwes noted: ‘Very sad to hear the news this morning about the passing of #RayLiotta. An extraordinary talent whose remarkable performances left an indelible mark on the screen. Our deepest condolences to his family. RIP Ray’
Hard to take: Jeffrey Wright posted: ‘Ray Liotta. Man. Just met dude for the first time last year. GREAT actor. Nice to have had a chance to say that to him. RIP’
They were pals: James Mangold said that he was saddened by the bad news
But he was perhaps best known for his incredible performance in Scorsese’s 1990 classic Goodfellas, where he played Henry Hill while Robert De Niro took on the role of Jimmy Conway.
His other roles include Shoeless Joe Jackson in 1989′s Field of Dreams, Ray Sinclair in Something Wild (1986).
And he was in Unlawful Entry (1992), Cop Land (1997), Hannibal (2001), Blow (2001), John Q (2002), Identity (2003), Observe and Report (2009), Killing Them Softly (2012), and The Place Beyond the Pines (2012).
And he worked from 2016 until 2018 on the NYPD cop show Shades Of Blue with Drea de Matteo and Jennifer Lopez.
A note from London: TV personality Piers Morgan called Ray a ‘brilliant’ actor and shared an image from Goodfellas
Hit maker: The star was best known for the Martin Scorsese movie Goodfellas
A TV star as well: He worked from 2016 until 2018 on the NYPD cop show Shades Of Blue with Jennifer Lopez, Right, seen in an embrace in 2016
In recent years his career heated up again.
He was in The Many Saints of Newark, Marriage Story and No Sudden Move back to back.
The star told People he felt the change: ‘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.’
Ray – who was was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1954 – was abandoned at an orphanage before he was adopted at six-months-old by Marty and Alfred Liotta.
His widow: He leaves behind his fiancé Jacy Nittolo (pictured) as well as his daughter Karsen
