Ray Liotta was one of those rare talents taken from us far too soon. The “Goodfellas” legend was still crushing it at 67, with two projects wrapped before his untimely passing. Fans and industry peers were stunned to learn he died in his sleep in May 2022 while filming “Dangerous Waters” in the Dominican Republic. It was a heartbreaking end to a career that deserved so much more.
The producers of the film expressed their grief in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: “We were deeply saddened to learn of Ray’s passing, it’s a tremendous loss and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, fiancée Jacy and daughter Karsen.” Tributes poured in from across Hollywood, including one from Martin Scorsese, who directed Liotta’s career-defining role as Henry Hill. “He was so uniquely gifted, so adventurous, so courageous as an actor. Playing Henry Hill in ‘Good Fellas’ was a tall order, because the character had so many different facets, so many complicated layers, and Ray was in almost every scene of a long, tough shoot,” he wrote. “He absolutely amazed me, and I’ll always be proud of the work we did together on that picture. My heart goes out to his loved ones, and it aches for his loss, way too early.”
For months after his death, no one knew exactly why Liotta passed, which made the whole thing even more devastating. It wasn’t until a year later that an official autopsy became publicly available, which went on to reveal that heart and respiratory complications were to blame.
Ray Liotta reportedly suffered from a ‘silent killer’ disease
The official cause of Ray Liotta’s death was revealed in May 2023, and it was as devastating as fans had feared. Dominican Republic officials, according to papers obtained by TMZ, confirmed that the iconic actor’s death was brought about by a series of heart and respiratory-related issues, including respiratory insufficiency, pulmonary edema (an ailment that causes fluid to fill up the lungs), and acute heart failure. He was also discovered to have atherosclerosis, often called the “silent killer” for its sneaky tendency to clog arteries over the years. Ultimately, his death was ruled “natural” and “non-violent,” but of course, that doesn’t make it any less gutting.
As heartbreaking as the details are, there may be some comfort in knowing Liotta spent his final moments with his fiancée, Jacy Nittolo. A source also assured People there was no foul play involved, and Nittolo’s tribute was every bit touching. “My life these past couple of years have been nothing but truly magical. Ray and I share a deep love that I will cherish in my heart forever,” Nittolo wrote in a tribute she shared on Instagram. “We laughed daily and we were inseparable. The chemistry was wild in the best way.”
And months before his autopsy was made public, Liotta’s daughter, Karsen, accepted his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame posthumously. “He was a one-of-a-kind actor and the best friend, brother, and father anyone could ask for,” she said in her speech (via Today). “Thank you for your work and the imprint you left on me and all of those who love you. Everyone deserves a Ray in their life.” And honestly, she’s not wrong — everyone does deserve a Ray, though it’s clear there was only one like him.
