Ray Liotta: An American Cinematheque Retrospective

The American Cinematheque is proud to present this retrospective for celebrated actor Ray Liotta, who left us with an unparalleled body of work. Our series includes films with some of his most memorable performances, and features special guests including Dennis Lehane and James Mangold, who join us to share memories of their artistic collaborations with the late actor.

Ray Liotta stumbled into acting almost by accident as a student at the University of Miami but there was nothing accidental about his success. Being proactive about his career and filling his time with study during lean years made him one of the most respected performers of the last several decades. As he noted about his approach to his craft during a 2002 appearance at the Cinematheque, “This is all about the imagination. The imagination is like a muscle – the more you use it the stronger it’s going to get.”

Though he had a few years of soap opera work under his belt, it was his role as Melanie Griffith’s violent ex in SOMETHING WILD that put him on the Hollywood map. Leading roles soon followed in such films as DOMINICK AND EUGENE and Martin Scorsese’s classic GOODFELLAS, in which Liotta delivers one of the greatest performances in all of cinema as real-life gangster Henry Hill opposite Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. His performance helped the film earn a Best Picture Academy Award nomination and solidified Liotta’s status with critics and the public alike.

As a self-proclaimed jock from Jersey, the performer was a natural in crime dramas including COP LAND, one of two films he made with director James Mangold (along with thriller IDENTITY), yet he was also effective in such lighter fare as the comedy caper HEARTBREAKERS. Keeping busy also brought Liotta to diverse characters in television (winning an Emmy in 2005 for his guest appearance in ER) and even video games (Grand Theft Auto).

The new limited series BLACK BIRD from Apple TV+ features one of his most acclaimed final roles: James “Big Jim” Keene, a father in failing health whose imprisoned son is offered a dangerous deal. It’s a magnetic performance that allows Ray Liotta to draw upon a lifetime as a working actor.