Trivia

Was Tim Burton's first choice to play Harvey Dent in Batman (1989), but turned it down to do Goodfellas (1990) instead.

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.

Worked in a cemetery while he was at college.

Ray's adoptive father was the son of Italian immigrants, and Ray's 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.

He knew he was adopted from a young age and did a show and tell report on the subject in kindergarten.

He gained about 20 pounds and wore small lifts to appear even more imposing and bearlike while playing Henry Oak in Narc (2002).

He has never seen Field of Dreams (1989). At the time of filming, his mother was in ailing health, which negatively effected his experience in making the film. She died a year later, while Liotta was filming Goodfellas (1990), and Liotta used his anger and grief over her death to fuel his violent/angry scenes, particularly the scene where he pistol-whipped his neighbor.

Adopted when 6 months old.

Despite frequently playing violent characters onscreen, he claims to have never gotten into a fight in his life.

In contrast to his intense, often evil characters, he is by all accounts a nice, well-adjusted family man off screen.

He turned down the role of Tony Soprano in The Sopranos (1999). He was later offered the role of Ralph Cifaretto, also in The Sopranos (1999), but turned it down. Several cast members from Goodfellas (1990) appeared in the series.

Became a father for the first time at age 44, when his then-wife Michelle Grace gave birth to their daughter Karsen Liotta in December 1998.

Has a nephew, also named Ray Liotta, who plays on a farm team for the Kansas City Royals.

Was the original choice for the role of Dignam in The Departed (2006), however had to reluctantly decline due to other commitments.

He admitted that took the role of Tommy Vercetti in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) purely for the money. In an MTV interview, he admitted that he's never 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 has appeared in two films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Field of Dreams (1989) and Goodfellas (1990).

Claims that he only did Operation Dumbo Drop (1995) for the money.

Attended Union High School in Union, New Jersey. Was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame during the 1992-1993 school year.

He was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 24, 2023.

In Blow (2001), Liotta plays the father of real-life character George Jung (Johnny Depp), who reportedly was responsible for 85 percent of all cocaine distributed in the U.S. in the late 1970s/early '80s. Therefore, Liotta's son in Blow (2001) was likely distributing cocaine to Henry Hill, the real-life character Liotta played in Goodfellas (1990).

He was inducted into the 2016 New Jersey Hall of Fame in the Performance Arts category.

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.

He was a candidate to play Count Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).

As of 2020, he has been in 3 films that were Oscar nominated for Best Picture: Field of Dreams (1989), Goodfellas (1990), and Marriage Story (2019).

He was considered to voice Scar in The Lion King (1994).

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.

Director Antoine Fuqua wanted to cast Liotta in American Gangster (2007) before the film was put on hold and Fuqua was replaced.

He turned down the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman (1989) to do Goodfellas (1990).

Grew up in Hoboken, New Jersey.

He was considered for Michael Douglas's role in Basic Instinct (1992).

"Cocaine Bear" was dedicated in "loving memory" to him in the closing credits.

British rock band Linoleum recorded a song called "Ray Liotta" (on their 1997 album 'Dissent').

He was considered for the role of Mickey Knox in Natural Born Killers (1994), but Oliver Stone didn't think he was sexy enough.

He turned down Forest Whitaker's role in Phone Booth (2002).

He auditioned for the role of Joey in Saturday Night Fever (1977).

He was considered for the role of Bobby in A Star Is Born (2018), which went to Sam Elliott.

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.

He was considered for Kurt Russell's role in Tango & Cash (1989).

He turned down the role of Frank "The Cucumber" de Marco in Married to the Mob (1988), which went to Alec Baldwin.

He was originally cast as DEA Agent Willie "Woody" Dumas in Perdita Durango (1997) when Bigas Luna was attached to direct it. The role went to James Gandolfini.

Has appeared in films directed by Jonathan Demme (Something Wild (1986)) and by his nephew Ted Demme (Blow (2001)). He also appeared in Hannibal (2001), a sequel to Jonathan Demme's film The Silence of the Lambs (1991). So he has appeared in Demme films and a Lecter film, but not one that was both.

He was the first choice for the role of Nestor in The Mambo Kings (1992).

Played baseball player "Shoeless" Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams (1989). Ex-wife, Michelle Grace is also the ex-wife of baseball player Mark Grace.

He was a candidate to play the Master in Doctor Who: The Movie (1996).

He was considered for the role of Jackson Rippner in Red Eye (2005).

He was considered for Adam Baldwin's role in Next of Kin (1989).

Last name is pronounced lee-OH-tuh.

He turned down Tom Arnold's role in Happy Endings (2005).

He was offered the role of Detective Rick Calucci in CSI: NY (2004).

He was considered for John Turturro's role in Fear X (2003).