The movie that solidified Ray Liotta as a bonafide legend is now available to Netflix subscribers. The streaming giant revealed that the 1990 American biographical crime drama Goodfellas was set to become available for streaming on July 1 in the wake of Liotta’s death. Goodfellas is a film adaptation of the 1985 nonfiction book Wiseguy by Pileggi. It also stars Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, and Paul Sorvino, as it narrates the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980. Liotta played Hill. Hill died in 2012 after spending his later years in witness protection. The movie has been lauded as one of the greatest films of all time amid critical acclaim and is still played in rotation on cable television today. Goodfellas was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, with Pesci winning for Best Supporting Actor. Liotta’s performance also received praise.
In a 1990 interview with the Today Show, Liotta spoke about why he wanted to star in the mob film. “I read the book and I heard they were going to make it into a movie, I didn’t know they were going to and was fascinated by the book. And then to have Martin Scorsese directing it, what actor wouldn’t want it? Plus, the part is just so full and juicy. There’s just so much. It spans 30 years. And just about every emotion you can think of, Henry went through,” he said.
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On May 27, his rep confirmed that the actor passed away at the age of 67. He reportedly died in his sleep while staying in the Dominican Republic on location to film Dangerous Waters. No foul play is suspected and an autopsy is pending.
At the time of his death, he was on a career comeback. His recent roles included The Many Saints of Newark, Marriage Story, and No Sudden Move. He finished the Elizabeth Banks-directed Cocaine Bear and was due to star in the Working Title film The Substance alongside Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. Recast decisions for the latter have not been confirmed as of yet.
The actor was also set to executive produce the A&E docuseries Five Families. The project is about the rise and fall of the New York’s mafia’s Genovese, Gambino, Bonnano, Colombo, and Lucchese families. Since his passing, AppleTV+ has released the trailer for Liotta’s last TV role in Black Bird.
His Black Bird co-star Taron Egerton reappeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live where he revealed Liotta was “in ailing health” in “a frail way” while they filmed their Apple TV+ series last Spring. He said working with Liotta was a dream come true for him.
“I did an Instagram post about this but it’s a story I do like telling, I stepped on set and he was kind of in his own world. He wasn’t really engaged in his environment. Sometimes actors can be… we’re a weird bunch, we do weird stuff so I thought I’d leave him to it, give him his space and across the room he sort of caught my eye and just stood up, walked towards me in a sort of frail way,” he explained.
Egerton continued: “He’s in ailing health in the show and he just embraced me and we stayed that way for a little while. It was kind of weird but really nice as well. I said, “I’m really glad we’re doing this,” and he said, “Me too.” And he didn’t say anything to me for that first day other than what we said to each other in character. We had a few weeks of filming together and it was a really amazing experience for me, it just brought this presence, this reality in contrast with the kind of toughness of him.”
