Esteemed film and television actor Ray Liotta passed away in his sleep last night while in the Dominican Republic shooting Dangerous Waters. No cause of death has been stated at this time.
Liotta was an actor and producer known primarily for his starring roles as Henry Hill in Goodfellas and Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams. His first film was the critically panned The Lonely Lady in 1983, but he rebounded to acclaim in Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild in 1986, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes and by several Critics’ awards.
After Field of Dreams and Goodfellas brought him additional acclaim in 1989 and 1990 respectively, he starred in a wide array of films including Article 99, Unlawful Entry, Cop Land, Killing Them Softly, and Muppets Most Wanted. He made his Broadway debut in 2004 opposite Frank Langella in Match.
Liotta currently has three films in progress. In addition to the previously mentioned Dangerous Waters, he also has roles in Elizabeth Banks’ upcoming Cocaine Bear and a still-untitled film written and directed by Charlie Day.