Trivia

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

He worked in a cemetery during his college years.

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.

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.

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

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 Jusqu'au bout du rêve (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 Les Affranchis (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.

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

Adopted when 6 months old.

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

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

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

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.

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

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: Jusqu'au bout du rêve (1989) and Les Affranchis (1990).

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

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

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

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

Grew up in Hoboken, New Jersey.

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 Les Affranchis (1990).

As of 2020, he has been in 3 films that were Oscar nominated for Best Picture: Jusqu'au bout du rêve (1989), Les Affranchis (1990), and Marriage Story (2019).

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

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 Dracula (1992).

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.

He was considered to voice Scar in Le Roi lion (1994).

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

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

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

He auditioned for the role of Joey in La Fièvre du samedi soir (1977).

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).

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

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 the role of Bobby in A Star is Born (2018), which went to Sam Elliott.

He turned down the role of Frank "The Cucumber" de Marco in Veuve, mais pas trop... (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 (Dangereuse sous tous rapports (1986)) and by his nephew Ted Demme (Blow (2001)). He also appeared in Hannibal (2001), a sequel to Jonathan Demme's film Le silence des agneaux (1991). So he has appeared in Demme films and a Lecter film, but not one that was both.

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

He was the first choice for the role of Nestor in Les mambo kings (1992).

In college he did Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams ,and comedies such as The Odd Couple, and in The Sound of Music he sang, He acted with his wife in The Rat Pack and they played husband and wife in Rumour of Angels.

He was directly cremated at Neptune Society in San Pedro, California after his body was returned to the United States in a private plane from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic after being embalmed at Blandino Funeral Home.

Played baseball player "Shoeless" Joe Jackson in Jusqu'au bout du rêve (1989). Ex-wife, Michelle Grace is also the ex-wife of baseball player Mark Grace.

He was a candidate to play the Master in Le seigneur du temps (1996).

His best friend is Josh Taylor.

He was considered for Adam Baldwin's role in Un flic à Chicago (1989).

Last name is pronounced lee-OH-tuh.

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