Hollywood truly lost a magnificent performer when Ray Liotta passed away.
His acting career was an embarrassment of riches.
He could go from playing a baseball player in Field of Dreams to a tough guy in GoodFellas and then play a loving father in Corrina, Corrina.
To say his absence has been felt is quite an understatement.
At the time of his passing, Liotta was filming a movie called Dangerous Waters, and the production was using the Dominican Republic for filming locations.
Officials from the Dominican Republic have now released the details surrounding Ray Liotta’s unfortunate death.
How did Ray Liotta die in 2022?
According to TMZ, the Cop Land actor died of heart and respiratory problems. The site goes on to say the death was natural causes due to “respiratory insufficiency, pulmonary edema — aka fluid in his lungs — and acute heart failure.”
The diagnosis from the doctor adds atherosclerosis as one of the factors, meaning Liotta had generated an unhealthy amount of plaque build-up in his arteries.
Thankfully, the 67-year-old performer died in his sleep peacefully.
Ray Liotta left behind a fiance, Jacy Nittolo, and a 24-year-old daughter, Karsen Liotta, a child he shared with Michelle Grace.
Did Ray Liotta finish filming Dangerous Waters?
Currently, there are no further updates on the fate of Dangerous Waters. The reports say Liotta would have played a significant role as a “boyfriend with a dark past” and Odeya Rush as the daughter who senses the danger while on a sailing vacation.
The film, which John Barr is directing, currently has rumors of a possible recast, but nothing official has been confirmed.
Deadline reports that before Liotta’s death, numerous pitches were being made by producers for the project to debut at Cannes last year, yet nothing ever assembled. However, this detail is hard to quantify if the actor was almost done filming scenes.
But beyond the cast and crew in the Dominic Republic, his loss was also felt dearly at home, especially by his loving fiance, Jacy Nittolo.
Ray Liotta’s fiance writes heartfelt tribute
Six months after his death, the Goodfellas actor’s fiance Nittolo took to Instagram to share her pain.
In the emotional post, she shines a light on her feelings since he left. Nittolo pours out her heart, writing, “I’ve been without Ray for almost 6 months now. Most days are unbearable.” She adds, “I find it hard to breathe without him.”
Nittolo further reminisces on the memories shared with Liotta saying, “Today and every day, I am so thankful for the memories he gave me. They were the best years of my life.”
For those who wish to see one of Ray Liotta’s final performances, the actor can be seen in the Elizabeth Banks-directed monster comedy Cocaine Bear.
He is truly missed.