Ray Liotta was an American actor and film producer and was popularly known for his roles in Field of Dreams and Goodfellas. He had quite a successful career and turly made a name in the industry. But did you know he was not actually Italian?
Ray Liotta was adopted from an orphanage at the age of six months in 1955. In the 2000s, he hired a private detective to find his biological mother and discovered that he had one biological sister, one biological half-brother, and five biological half-sisters.
Who is Ray Liotta?
Raymond Allen Liotta made his television debut in the daytime drama Another World. At first, he struggled to find work in Hollywood, but he succeeded as the crazed ex-con husband opposite Melanie Griffith in Something Wild. Liotta was best known for his tough-guy roles in films such as Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas and No Escape. Unfortunately, Liotta died in May 2022 at the age of 67. (Source: Biography)
The Early Life of Ray Liotta
Ray Liotta was born in Newark, New Jersey, on December 18, 1954. Alfred and Mary Liotta adopted him when he was only a few months old. The family later expanded to include Liotta’s adopted sister, Linda. Liotta was a gifted athlete who excelled at both basketball and soccer in high school.
Liotta went to the University of Miami to study acting after graduating from Union High School in 1973. Liotta moved to New York after graduating college and was quickly noticed by a casting agent. Before playing Joey Perrini on the daytime drama Another World, he got a role in a television commercial. Liotta appeared on the show from 1978 to 1981. (Source: Biography)
How Did Ray Liotta Find Out About His Biological Mother?
Liotta Knew that he was adopted at an early age. But he kept wondering what his life would have been like with his biological mother. In the 2000s, he hired a private investigator to find his birth mother.
Ray Liotta is glad he mustered the courage to track down his biological mother because it provided him with closure on the emotional pain he has felt since childhood. In 1997, the actor hired a private detective to track down his mother, who left him in an orphanage.
When he finally met her, he discovered that he was not Italian but Scottish. He had one biological sister, one biological half-brother, and five biological half-sisters. (Source: Ghanafuo)
Ray Liotta’s Career in the Entertainment Industry
Liotta played perhaps his most famous role in Martin Scorsese’s 1990 film Goodfellas. In the movie, he played infamous crime figure Henry Hill alongside Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci.
Liotta, a leading character actor, also took part in family drama, co-starring with Whoopi Goldberg in Corrina. Liotta ventured into comedy with the Disney film Operation Dumbo Drop. He later returned to more edgy roles in films such as Blow and John Q.
He received his first major acting award in 2005 when he was nominated for an Emmy for his role in the medical drama ER. The following year, he appeared on television in the short-lived crime drama Smith. Liotta’s most recent films include The Iceman, The Place Beyond the Pines, Better Living Through Chemistry, and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.
In 2015, Liotta returned to television with the miniseries Texas Rising, which focuses on the formation of the Texas Rangers. He starred in the gritty drama Shades of Blue the following year. On the show, he played a corrupt cop alongside Jennifer Lopez. (Source: Biography)