The actor was honoured with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles in February with the ceremony attended by Liotta’s fiancee Jacy Nittolo and his daughter Karsen Liotta, who accepted the award on her dad’s behalf and expressed her pride in all his achievements.
She said: “I’m so touched to be accepting this honour on behalf of my dad. I couldn’t be more proud of him. He was a one-of-a-kind actor, and the best friend, brother and father anyone could ask for. I lucked out with you.
“If you have a Ray in your life, you’re lucky. Thank you for your work, and the imprint you left on me and all of those who love you. Everyone deserves a Ray in their life.”
At the time of his death Lorraine Bracco, who played Karen Hill in Goodfellas posted on Twitter telling fans that she was “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.”
Elsewhere, Alessandro Nivola, who appeared with Liotta in The Sopranos prequel film The Many Saints of Newark wrote, “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.”
Liotta was a New Jersey native and was born in 1954. Having been adopted at age six months out of an orphanage by a township clerk and an auto parts owner, the star grew up playing sports, including baseball, during his senior year of high school, the drama teacher at the school asked him if he wanted to be in a play, which he agreed to. The interest stuck with the actor later going on to study acting at the University of Miami.
After graduation, he got his first big break on the soap opera Another World.
