Ever since Grand Theft Auto made the jump to 3D back in 2001, the outrageously popular video game franchise has given gamers some of the most cinematic gaming experiences of all time. While the stories, graphics, and sandbox open worlds have certainly helped in this regard, a lot of that “cinema” quality comes from the games’ A-list casts.

Here are 32 celebrities who appeared in Grand Theft Auto games, be it as a protagonist (or antagonist most of the time) or as DJs for the franchise’s iconic radio stations. There is a lot to go over, so let’s get to it…

Samuel L. Jackson (Frank Tenpenny)

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas took the franchise to new heights back in 2004, and a lot of that was due to the show-stealing performance by Samuel L. Jackson as crooked Los Santos police officer and primary antagonist Frank Tenpenny. The corrupt cop, who made life miserable for protagonist Carl “CJ” Johnson, was a villain you loved to hate.

Ray Liotta (Tommy Vercetti)

Before the late Ray Liotta voiced Tommy Vercetti in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in 2002, none of the protagonists had a voice, or personality for that matter. That all changed when gamers took control of the revenge-driven mobster and walked the neon-lit streets and crowded beaches of this landmark game.

Burt Reynolds (Avery Carrington)

The supporting casts in each of the Grand Theft Auto games have been just as legendary as the primary heroes and villains, and the late Burt Reynolds helped make Grand Theft Auto: Vice City one of the best in this regard. His portrayal of cowboy land developer Avery Carrington was lights out. It’s just a shame we didn’t get more.

William Fichtner (Ken Rosenberg)

In addition to showing up in most of Michael Bay’s best movies, William Fichtner has appeared in a pair of the best Grand Theft Auto games. First introduced as anxiety-ridden and paranoid attorney Ken Rosenberg in Vice City, Fichtner would reprise the role in San Andreas, where Ken was just as insane.

Joe Pantoliano (Luigi Goterelli)

Joe Pantoliano, aka Joey Pants, was just one of many actors known for playing mobsters to show up in Grand Theft Auto III with his portrayal of Luigi Goterelli. The club owner, who is the first to give silent protagonist Claude some work in Liberty City, was made all the better by Pantoliano’s explosive dialogue.

Michael Madsen (Toni Cipriani)

The late Michael Madsen, best known for his work in some of Quentin Tarantino’s best movies, had a supporting role in Grand Theft Auto III. Madsen’s Toni Cipriani, a high-ranking member of the Leone Family crime syndicate, was a major player in the early goings of the game.

Cara Delevingne (DJ Cara)

Though Cara Delevingne’s character is never seen in Grand Theft Auto V, DJ Cara is one of the most engaging and hilarious DJs on the game’s vast collection of radio channels. Her transitions and commentary between tracks for Non Stop Pop FM are worth checking out, even if you don’t want to play the game.

Kyle MacLachlan (Donald Love)

Donald Love, the morally ambiguous owner of Love Media and Liberty City developer who gives the player some wild missions along the way, was voiced by Kyle MacLachlan in Grand Theft Auto III. Willing to do anything and everything to obtain power and money, Love was one of the strangest and most mysterious characters of the franchise.

Dennis Hopper (Steve Scott)

It’s hard to imagine anyone but Dennis Hopper providing the voice of Steve Scott in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The shark-obsessed and ambitious adult film director was one of the main allies Tommy Vercetti made along the way, even if his missions got out of hand!

Philip Michael Thomas (Lance Vance)

Lance Vance started as one of Tommy Vercetti’s most trusted allies, only to become his biggest rival in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City when he wanted a larger slice of the pie. Having the character voiced by Miami Vice star Philip Michael Thomas was just one of the many callbacks to the iconic ‘80s show.

Chris Penn (Eddie Pulaski)

Chris Penn played secondary antagonist Eddie Pulaski, one of the crooked C.R.A.S.H. officers, in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Officer Tenpenny’s right-hand man, this diabolical cop went to great lengths to get under CJ’s skin.

Debbie Harry (Doris)

Legendary punk and fashion icon Debbie Harry showed up in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City when she provided the voice of Doris. The Blondie singer did a great job of giving the Kaufman Cab dispatcher a whole lot of attitude, which led to some great interactions with Tommy Vercetti.

Danny Trejo (Umberto Robina)

Danny Trejo was already on his way to becoming one of the most well-known character actors in Hollywood when he portrayed Cuban gang leader Umberto Robina in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The crime boss gave Tommy Vercetti a number of missions throughout the midsection of the 2002 game.

Katt Williams (Himself)

Grand Theft Auto IV didn’t see as many celebrities voicing characters as previous iterations, but there were still a fair number of big stars in the game. In the case of Katt Williams, the comedian played himself in one of the in-game stand-up routines that protagonist Niko Bellic could watch throughout the game.

Jason Sudeikis (Richard Bastion)

Long before he played Ted Lasso (both in those wild NBC commercials and the popular Apple TV+ series), Jason Sudeikis played a very different type of American character in Grand Theft Auto IV. Sudeikis, who was still on SNL at the time, voiced Richard Bastion, the host of a right-wing call-in show on WKTT talk radio.

Wil Wheaton (Various Characters)

Stand By Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation star Wil Wheaton voiced various characters in the Grand Theft Auto universe. In 2004’s San Andreas, Wheaton was the voice of Richard Burns, a reporter for WCTR, a role he reprised in Liberty City Stories the following year. He would also voice an alien in Grand Theft Auto V.

Ricky Gervais (Himself)

Ricky Gervais brought his brand of comedy to the digital world in Grand Theft Auto IV when he performed an extended stand-up routine in one of Liberty City’s comedy clubs. The 10-minute in-game activity has the comedian’s signature wit and knack for telling uncomfortable jokes in a hilarious way.

Michael Rapaport (Joey Leone)

Michael Rapaport was one of the big-name actors who made the Grand Theft Auto III cast one of the best of all time when he played Joey Leone. The son of Salvatore Leone was one of the player’s earliest contacts, and his missions remain some of the best in the game’s early stages.

Robert Loggia (Ray Machowski)

Though he didn’t reprise his iconic Scarface role (or at least something similar to Frank Lopez) in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Robert Loggia did have a great part in Grand Theft Auto III one year earlier. There are some wild characters in the 2001 game, but corrupt police officer Ray Machowski was in a league of his own. Kudos to those who still have his bulletproof Patriot in the garages after all these years.

Will Forte (Martin Serious)

Saturday Night Live alum (and WWE Raw host) Will Forte showed up in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and the Damned, the first of two DLC expansions for the 2008 game. In the game, Forte provides the voice of Martin Serious, a shock jock in the vein of Howard Stern on WKTT talk radio.

Robert Davi (Juan Cortez)

Robert Davi, who appeared in movies like The Goonies and Raw Deal in the ‘80s, showed up in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as Juan Cortez, a retired Central American colonel and drug kingpin. The mysterious character, who admired Tommy Vercetti a great deal, provided for some wild (and difficult) missions.

Danny McBride (Duane Earl)

Danny McBride gave players one of the funniest radio DJs in the state of San Andreas when he voiced Duane Earl in Grand Theft Auto V. Host of the Beyond Insemination program on Blaine County Radio (this only became available after leaving Los Santos), Earl was right up there with McBride’s most well-known character, Kenny Powers.

Axl Rose (Tommy ‘The Nightmare’ Smith)

In addition to featuring Guns N’ Roses’ legendary “Welcome to the Jungle” track (it was also in the game’s trailer), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas also had the band’s lead singer, Axl Rose, portray a radio DJ. Tommy “The Nightmare” Smith could be heard on K-DST radio, aka, The Dust.

Lee Majors (Mitch Baker)

Lee Majors gave his voice to one of the coolest characters in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City with his portrayal of “Big” Mitch Baker, the leader of a biker gang and owner of the Greasy Chopper bar. A major player late in the game, Baker worked with Tommy Vercetti for multiple jobs, including the Love Fist concert.

Tom Sizemore (Sonny Forelli)

On top of playing some of the craziest characters in Hollywood history, the late Tom Sizemore also voiced an unforgettable villain in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Sonny Forelli, the primary antagonist and leader of the Forelli Crime Family, was willing to do anything and everything to make life messy for Tommy Vercetti, which ultimately cost him in the end.

Phil Collins (Himself)

Phil Collins, yes, the Phil Collins, played himself in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. The PSP game, which later came to PS2, featured the “In the Air Tonight” singer in a daring mission where the player had to thwart an assassination attempt. If the player beats the mission and pays $6,000 for a ticket, they can watch a full performance of Collins’ most popular song.

Ice-T (Madd Dogg)

Los Santos rapper Madd Dogg has one of the craziest and most unforgettable arcs in all of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. From having his lyric book and career stolen from him to thinking about ending things before going to rehab to becoming the biggest rapper on the planet, he goes through it. The story is made even better with rapper-turned-actor Ice-T bringing the character to life.

Faizon Love (Sweet)

Though Sweet may be the most annoying character in the entire Grand Theft Auto franchise (well, outside of Roman Bellic), Faizon Love’s performance in San Andreas is great. The Friday and The Parent ‘Hood actor went all-in with his portrayal of Sean “Sweet” Johnson, the older brother to the game’s protagonist. Sweet could be a lot at times, but Love added so much to the character.

James Woods (Mike Toreno)

Every Grand Theft Auto game has a character that’s so out there, they live in a world beyond good and evil. In the case of San Andreas, that responsibility falls into the lap of Mike Toreno, an undercover agent working for an unnamed and shadowy government agency voiced by James Woods. It’s hard to think of another actor who could play Toreno better than the Casino and Once Upon a Time in America actor.

Charlie Murphy (Jizzy B.)

Though we didn’t get to see too much of Jizzy B. before CJ took him out in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, this performance by the late Charlie Murphy made the owner of the Pleasure Domes nightclub a character many of us still think about 20-plus years later. The Loco Syndicate member was mean, vicious, and a little pathetic, but he was so much fun to watch.

Peter Fonda (The Truth)

The late, great Peter Fonda portrayed one of the wildest and most bizarre characters in Grand Theft Auto history when he took on the role of The Truth in San Andreas. A spiritual character who wasn’t shy of violence (or at least having CJ do his dirty work), the free-thinking and otherworldly ally was there for some of the game’s signature moments.

David Cross (Zero)

There’s a large portion of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas players who have never beaten all of Zero’s missions, so don’t even try to lie about it. Though most of us didn’t see his story to completion, the electronics expert and owner of Zero RC voiced by comedian David Cross is still beloved to this day. Just don’t ask us to beat the infamous “Supply Lines” level.

It never ceases to amaze me when an actor is the spitting image of the real person they are selected to play. I do not think a historical portrayal necessarily lives or dies by the performer’s resemblance to the subject, but I think it is something to appreciate, especially when you consider the amount of biopics starring actors who bear absolutely no resemblance to their role. Here are a few notable examples of actors who were clearly hired for their talents above anything else.

Michael Shannon As Elvis Presley (Elvis & Nixon)

The most requested photo in the National Archives depicts Elvis Presley shaking hands with Richard Nixon in the Oval Office, and the events surrounding this historic meeting at the White House are dramatized in 2016's Elvis & Nixon. Kevin Spacey makes for a visually believable depiction of the 37th United States President, but the otherwise wonderfully talented Michael Shannon simply does not cut it as the one many call the King of Rock 'n Roll, even with a decent jumpsuit and wig.

John Wayne As Genghis Khan (The Conqueror)

Oh, boy, where do we begin with this one? The only visual evidence we have of what Genghis Khan looked like is artist renderings, but it does not take an expert to notice that John Wayne was not Asian. Still, the legendary Western movie star was cast as the Mongol chief in 1956's The Conqueror, which has since been regarded as one of the worst films ever made.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson As John Lennon (Nowhere Boy)

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson's 2009 music biopic Nowhere Boy focuses on the pre-Beatles life of John Lennon, as portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. If you ask me, the Golden Globe-winning actor might have been a better fit to play, perhaps, Paul McCartney or, better yet, George Harrison.

Tom Cruise As Barry Seal (American Made)

If more people knew about Barry Seal and what he looked like, I believe Tom Cruise's portrayal in 2017's American Made would have been criticized as one of the most egregious miscastings in Hollywood history. The otherwise talented movie star did absolutely nothing to alter his appearance and pass for the ill-fated, heavy-set CIA smuggler, save what I regard as an embarrassing Southern accent.

Julia Roberts As Erin Brockovich (Erin Brockovich)

Julia Roberts gives, arguably, the finest performance of her career as a single mother and paralegal who uncovers a small town pollution scandal in Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich from 2000. However, if a resemblance to the person an actor is portraying were part of the Academy's voting criteria, she might not have won the Oscar.

Denzel Washington As Frank Lucas (American Gangster)

Ridley Scott's 2007 biopic American Gangster dramatizes the career of mobster Frank Lucas, played by Denzel Washington, and also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lucas' brother, Huey. Curiously, Ejiofor actually looks a whole lot more like the real Frank than the two-time Oscar winner. However, Washington was a good friend and frequent collaborator of the director's brother, Tony Scott, so he probably had the role in the bag for that, among other reasons.

Johnny Depp As J.M. Barrie (Finding Neverland)

Oddly enough, J.M. Barrie boasted a striking resemblance to another influential author, Edgar Allan Poe, with his tall forehead and small moustache. However, Johnny Depp, who played the Peter Pan author in 2004's Finding Neverland, does not boast a resemblance to either of them, if you ask me.

Hugh Jackman As P.T. Barnum (The Greatest Showman)

Let's not even bother talking about the many historical inaccuracies from The Greatest Showman, 2017's musical retelling of the origins of the circus, and even ignore the fact that P.T. Barnum was not the kindhearted man Hugh Jackman portrayed him as. All that matters to this list is whether or not the Wolverine star looked the part, and the famously attractive Australian actor most definitely was not a match for Barnum in that regard.

Michael Fassbender As Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs)

Michael Fassbender's Oscar-nominated performance in director Danny Boyle and writer Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs from 2015 is widely regarded as superior to Ashton Kutcher's portrayal in Jobs from two years earlier. However, at least the former That '70s Show cast member can say he resembled the tech pioneer more closely.

Jesse Eisenberg As Mark Zuckerberg (The Social Network)

Mark Zuckerberg once made a surprise SNL cameo, during which he stood right next to host Jesse Eisenberg on the Studio 8H stage, proving that they are certainly not a visual match. The actor does not even bother to imitate the Facebook founder's distinctly low voice when portraying him in 2010's The Social Network, but his Oscar nomination proves that that is not what really matters in the end.

Tom Hanks As Fred Rogers (A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood)

Casting a universally beloved actor such as Tom Hanks to play a universally beloved children's television personality like Fred Rogers, of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fame, is brilliant in theory. However, even giving the Oscar winner the icon's signature haircut and sweaters is not quite enough to distract from the fact that you are still unmistakably watching Hanks on screen.

Leonardo DiCaprio As Howard Hughes (The Aviator)

A major inspiration for Marvel's Tony "Iron Man" Stark was Howard Hughes, whose resemblance is actually a striking match for both Robert Downey Jr. and Dominic Cooper, who plays Howard Stark in his early years in the MCU. In fact, I think either one of them would have been a better visual fit for the eccentric millionaire in The Aviator than Leonardo DiCaprio, even if his performance in the 2005 biopic makes it one of his best collaborations with the director, Martin Scorsese.

Warren Beatty And Faye Dunaway As Clyde Barrow And Bonnie Parker (Bonnie And Clyde)

From a performance standpoint, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway make a great onscreen duo portraying the titular notorious bank robbers in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde. However, the screen legends' casting does not earn the film any points for historical accuracy, considering Beatty does not have Clyde Barrow's jug ears, nor does Dunaway boast Bonnie Parker's sharp, thin face.

Taraji P. Henson As Katherine G. Johnson (Hidden Figures)

Taraji P. Henson gives an undeniably commanding performance in 2016's Hidden Figures as Katherine G. Johnson, a mathematician who was pivotal in helping NASA figure out space travel. Yet, when comparing the Empire star to photos of the real Johnson, it is clear the actor does not resemble her much at all.

Anthony Hopkins As Richard Nixon (Nixon)

Reportedly, Anthony Hopkins had some hesitation about taking on the lead role of Oliver Stone's 1995 biopic about Richard M. Nixon. Ultimately, I would say the Academy Award winner went on to give a great performance in Nixon, but I find myself distracted by his struggle to hide his accent and his obvious fake teeth and hairpiece that really do not help make him look any closer in resemblance to the disgraced U.S. president.

Margot Robbie As Queen Elizabeth I (Mary Queen Of Scots)

Cate Blanchett previously gave an Academy Award-nominated performance as the lead of 1998's Elizabeth, and even bore a strong resemblance to the royal based on artist renderings. I cannot say the same about Margot Robbie, even if the Australian actor's portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots was still worthy of praise.

Benedict Cumberbatch As Alan Turing (The Imitation Game)

Benedict Cumberbatch has such a distinct appearance, making it difficult for him to resemble anyone else without heavy alterations. However, nothing was done to make him look any closer to World War II-era computer scientist Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.

Javier Bardem As Desi Arnaz (Being The Ricardos)

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman went above and beyond to physically become Lucille Ball for writer and director Aaron Sorkin's dramatization of what went on behind the scenes of the beloved TV sitcom, I Love Lucy. However, playing her onscreen husband is Oscar winner Javier Bardem, who does not pass for Desi Arnaz in the slightest.

Ray Liotta As Shoeless Joe Jackson (Field Of Dreams)

Technically, Ray Liotta plays the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams, but even a person's spectral remnant should look something like them. The infamous MLB player had a much narrower face and wider ears, not to mention that he pitched left-handed, while the actor did the opposite in the beloved sports movie.

Beyoncé As Etta James (Cadillac Records)

No one could possibly deny that Beyoncé has the pipes to match Etta James, which had to have been the reason why she was cast in 2008's Cadillac Records. However, the "At Last" singer was short and round-faced, and the former Destiny's Child member is neither.

Dominic West As Prince Charles III (The Crown)

I mean no disrespect to Prince Charles III, but is it just me, or was The Wire star Dominic West just a little too handsome to play the Royal Family member on The Crown? Then again, any one cast member's portrayal on the historical Netflix series might pale in comparison to Elizabeth Debicki's striking resemblance to Princess Diana.

Kane Hodder As Ed Gein (Ed Gein: The Butcher Of Plainfield)

The most famous actor to wear Jason Voorhees' hockey mask in the Friday the 13th films must have seemed like an inspired choice to play one of the most notorious serial killers in history in 2007's Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield. However, the 6'2", broadly built Kane Hodder does not boast Gein's narrower face and small stature.

Clive Owen As Bill Clinton (Impeachment: American Crime Story)

In most cases, prosthetics can be very helpful in making an actor look more similar to the person they are portraying, such as when Charlize Theron became Megyn Kelly for Bombshell. Clive Owen adopted this method to play Bill Clinton on Impeachment: American Crime Story, but the makeup only caused the English actor to resemble the 1990s-era President even less.

Angelina Jolie As Christine Collins (Changeling)

Christine Collins is the subject of Clint Eastwood's 2008 period film, Changeling, which is based on the true story of when her missing son was replaced by an impostor. Had she been an even better-known historical figure, there might have been more criticism over casting Angelina Jolie, an actor known for her voluptuous lips, as the thin-lipped 1920s woman.

Fred Armisen As Barack Obama (Saturday Night Live)

Considering the fact that the otherwise extremely talented SNL star Fred Armisen is a white man with a subpar impersonation of the 44th. U.S. President, I'll just say that I am glad Jay Pharoah eventually took over as Barack Obama.

Tom Hulce As Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Amadeus)

Just based on artist renderings of the seminal composer, Tom Hulce was nowhere near a match to play the title role of director Milos Forman's Best Picture Oscar winner, Amadeus, from 1984. However, the actor is widely admired for his performance as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which earned him a well-deserved Academy Award nomination.

Robert Redford As Harry Longabaugh (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid)

I wonder how many others like me had no idea that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was based on a true story, which might be how the film was able to get away with casting actors who look nothing like the Western outlaws they play. For instance, Robert Redford's mustache works just fine for the role, but Harry Longabaugh, a.k.a. "The Sundance Kid," did not have long blonde locks.

Diana Ross As Billie Holiday (Lady Sings The Blues)

Most would agree that 1972's Lady Sings the Blues is the superior biopic about the trailblazing "Strange Fruit" singer over The United States vs. Billie Holiday from 2021. However, those same people might also agree that Andra Day was a better fit to play Holiday, physically speaking, than the otherwise wonderfully talented Diana Ross in the earlier film.

Robin Williams As Patch Adams (Patch Adams)

The real Patch Adams hates Tom Shadyac's biopic based on his life, which has nothing to do with the fact that Robin Williams looks nothing like the influential doctor. However, it's still impossible to ignore, especially with how they do not even bother to give the Oscar winner Adams' signature mustache.

Mel Gibson As William Wallace (Braveheart)

In the most well-known illustrations of William Wallace, the Scottish warrior is depicted as having short hair and a beard. Why director Mel Gibson opted against this look when he portrayed Wallace in Braveheart is beyond me.

Serena Scott Thomas As Princess Diana (Diana: Her True Story)

Many actors have portrayed Princess Diana to varying degrees of success, but most consider Serena Scott Thomas from the 1993 two-part miniseries, Diana: Her True Story, to be one of the weakest matches, purely in terms of her physical resemblance.

Zoe Saldaña As Nina Simone (Nina)

The 2016 biopic, Nina, sparked controversy when Zoe Saldaña donned skin-darkening makeup and a prosthetic nose to better resemble singer Nina Simone, which the actor would later admit she regretted.

Some of the most famous memes on the internet come from some of the oddest places. Often you may recognize the star, or the movie or TV show, the memes come from, but the original context is completely lost on you. With this list we are going to help explain what the original context was for these famous memes.

John Travolta In Pulp Fiction

This is one of the more obvious ones. The meme is John Travolta looking around confused. It comes, of course, from Pulp Fiction, when he walks into the Wallace's house to pick up Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) for their date. When he first walks in, Mia is nowhere to be seen, but she can be heard over what seems like an intercom system or sound system. He is confused about where Mia is.

Charlie Day In It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

The "Pepe Silvia Conspriracy is what gives us the great meme of Charlie Day on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia standing wide-eyed in front of a bulletin board with a red string drawn across "evidence" that he's co-worker Pepe Silvia isn't real. it comes from the Season 4 episode, "Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack."

Nicolas Cage In Vampire's Kiss

There is no better actor from which to get great memes than Nicolas Cage, especially in those scenes where Cage goes completely bananas. In Vampire's Kiss, we get such a scene when Cage is just starting to lose it after he hooks up with a vampire who bites his neck.

Gene Wilder In Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory

The "tell me more" meme, known officially as "Condescending Wonka" features Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka comes from a scene when Wonka isn't being condescending at all. He's just excited to show the kids the Ever-Lasting Gobstopper.

Patrick Stewart In Star Trek: The Next Generation

There is no question that the Patrick Stewart/Jean-Luc Picard facepalm from Star Trek: The Next Generation is one of the most widely used memes in the history of the entire internet. Curious, it comes from a very brief moment on the show. It's seriously like half a second when he does it. it comes from the Season 3 episode titled "Deja Q" and unsurprisingly, he's stunned by Q.

Leonardo DiCaprio In The Great Gatsby

Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the actors people most love to use in a meme and one of his most famous is from the first party scene in The Great Gatsby as he's finally introducing himself as the great Gatsby. Of course, it's matched with great fanfare in the movie, which is sadly missing from the meme (obviously).

Steve Carell In The Office

Steve Carell has had some classic memes made from his expressions on The Office but none more used than the classic shot of him yelling "NO!" It will be no surprise to fans of that Carell's character Micheal is reacting to the return of his nemesis in the office, Toby Flenderson (Paul Lieberstein).

Sean Bean In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

At the Council of Elrond in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Sean Bean's character Boromir declares that "One does not simply walk into Mordor." So a meme was born as the look on Bean's face is perfect for describing anything that isn't easy.

Homer In The Simpsons

The scene of Homer Simpson disappearing into the bushes, used for all kinds of memes to show embarrassment, is, incredibly, over 30 years now. The scene comes from a Season 5 episode called "Homer Loves Flanders." The scene is specifically parodying the Terminator in Terminator 2 and his shape-shifting as Homer chases after Flanders.

Spider-Man In Spider-Man

The famous Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man meme comes from way back in the 1960s and the Spider-Man cartoon that aired for one season in 1967. In the episode, the villain disguises himself as Spider-Man and they confront each other outside the police station.

Robert Redford In Jeremiah Johnson

Jeremiah Johnson is not one of Robert Redford's most remembered movies. In fact, there is a decent chance it would be forgotten completely if not for the famous meme of Redford with his bushy beard looking back over his shoulder seemingly approving something, as the meme makes it out to be. In the movie, he's nodding approval after having trapped a beaver.

Joaquin Phoenix In The Joker

One of the most recent memes to really take off is the scene from The Joker of Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character dances on some stairs as he embraces the villain he has become. The stairs themselves have become a popular tourist spot and famous filming location in The Bronx.

Ice Cube In Friday

It's a statement that has come to mean so much more than the fleeting scene it was originally in Friday. Felicia is the annoying neighbor who is always looking to get over on someone but isn't very good at it. After begging the main characters for a whole bunch of stuff, finally, Craig (Ice Cube) says curtly, "Bye Felicia" and a meme was born,

Willem Dafoe In Spider-Man 3

Willem Dafoe In Spider-Man 3 is really great, especially as Norman Osborn, the alter-ego of The Green Goblin. Famously he tells Peter that he is "something of a scientist himself" and that moment is one that has lived on as one of the most popular memes on the web, used to tell people that "someone is quite the something."

Keanu Reeves In Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Long before the internet was part of everyday life, people were celebrating Keanu Reeves for his famous "Whoa!" in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. In the years since, that celebration has only grown and now it's one of the most widely circulated memes in the world, usually used to signify the same thing it is in the movie, pure surprise. In the scene, it's when they discover all both Bills and Teds are thinking of the same number.

Laurence Fishburne In The Matrix

What if I told you that the line "What if I told you" doesn't actually appear in The Matrix? Would that blow your mind? The reason most people think it does is because of the famous meme of Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus. Morpheus is explaining what the matrix is in the scene, but he never says those words.

James Van Der Beek On Dawson's Creek

The famous "Dawson" crying meme comes from a moment on Dawsom's Creek so brief if you blink at the wrong time, you'll miss it. It comes from a scene in the Season 3 finale when Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes) break up. the meme has had a far longer impact on popular culture than the show, it turns out.

Tim Robinson On I Think You Should Leave

Tim Robinson's saying "You sure about that" has quickly become one of the most used memes around, especially on YouTube. It comes from a Season 2 episode of one of the best Netflix original shows, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson where Robinson is playing a stereotypical pitchman on an infomercial.

Jeff Goldblum In Jurassic Park

Ah yes, we've finally come to the "Jeff Goldblum shirtless in Jurassic Park" meme. The scene is after Goldblum's character Dr. Ian Malcolm is injured in the T-Rex attack and he is resting and trying to recover while criticizing what's happening around him.

Woody And Buzz In Toy Story 2

The famous meme of Woody And Buzz from Toy Story 2 has been used for every kind of meme imaginable when trying to explain something to someone. In the movie, it doesn't really have anything to do with that. The scene is when Woody has lost his hat right before leaving with Andy for summer camp and they are desperately looking for it as Buzz seems unconcerned about it all.

Wayne Knight In Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park really is a meme-able movie and one of the most famous ones is Wayne Knight of Seinfeld fame laughing and pointing away from another character. In the scene, he is mocking Dobson (the man in the shades and the hat) for thinking anyone in the beach bar cares what they are doing there. In Meme form, it's used to mock anyone, really.

Bruno Ganz In Downfall

Bruno Ganz in the amazing movie Downfall is a different kind of meme as people rewrite the subtitles of the epic scene in the German movie to fit whatever they are angry about, from sports to casting decisions in the MCU. In the movie, of course, Ganz plays the evil man with a tiny mustache as he is freaking out towards the end of World War II and it's clear he and the Germans have lost.

Ray Liotta In GoodFellas

This famous meme comes from a very famous scene in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas. In the scene, Ray Liotta's character Henry Hill is reacting to a funny story told by Tommy (Joe Pesci). It's used for just about everything as a meme, but in the movie, Tommy is very angry at Henry for not explaining how Tommy's funny. Funny how? Funny like a clown? The meme is, that's for sure.

Leonardo DiCaprio In Django Unchained

The very famous meme of Leonardo DiCaprio laughing in Django Unchained is from a shot so brief it's amazing anyone picked up on it to even make it a meme. It's obviously from the dinner party and DiCaprio's character is laughing at his own joke, which makes the meme even better.

Jordan Peele In Key And Peele

Jordan Peele has become better known for his direction of amazing horror movies these days than as half of the brilliant comedy duo Key And Peele, but his most famous comes from the latter. In the sketch, his wife is asking him about his browser history, and the crazier and crazier the searches get the more he starts to sweat until it's pouring like a faucet out of his head.

Wagner Moura In Narcos

"Sad Pablo" has become very popular since Wagner Moura's amazing performance as Pablo Escobar in Narcos. The various memes on him looking sad or contemplative are taken from many moments on the show, but very rarely from when he is actually sad, Mostly they are fleeting moments of the drug kingpin thinking about his next move.

Christine Taylor In A Very Brady Sequel

"Sure Jan" is a pure classic. Obviously, it's Marsha Brady and she is indeed talking down to her sister Jan in the scene in A Very Brady Sequel, which is a pretty underrated comedy based on the original show from the 1960s. In the scene, Jan is making up a story about her imaginary boyfriend, George Glass and while everyone else in the family believes her, Marsha certainly does not.

Arnold Schwarzenegger And Carl Weathers In Predator

In the meme, all we get is two very muscular arms gripping hands in a very masculine handshake. One arm belongs to Arnold Schwarzenegger and the other to Carl Weathers. It comes from a scene in the first Predator movie. When the two characters, who are old friends, first see each other before the mission to seek and destroy the titular enemy.

It’s a Trap! In Return Of The Jedi

This is probably the most famous meme of them all, or at least the one that most people are going to know where it comes from. The origin story here of Admiral Akbar in Return Of The Jedi after the fleet has jumped in the battle above Endor. His famous line is, of course, "It's a trap!"

Bill Skarsgård In It

In what has to be the creepiest popular meme around, Pennywise, as played by Bill Skarsgård in It, is looking up out of a storm drain. It occurs after one of the kids chases his paper boat as it floats down the gutter and into the sewer.

Leonardo DiCaprio In Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Proving that everyone loves a great Leonardo DiCaprio meme, one of the more popular ones lately is of the actor from Once Upon A Time In Hollywood as he points at the TV because he's about to be on. Not seen in the photo is Brad Pitt, who is also in the scene watching with DiCaprio.

Nicolas Cage In Wicker Man

"NOT THE BEES!" is one of Nicolas Cage's most unhinged lines from a totally unhinged movie, The Wicker Man. It's a movie that seemingly only exists for the memes. There are a lot of options in the movie, that's for sure.

As a profession, acting is something that somebody can do at virtually any age, as such few actors ever bother to retire, and simply continue to make films until the day comes that they can't anymore. As such, it's basically impossible to know when a given film will be the last performance of one of the greats. From those who tragically die young to those who continued to work for decades, This is a look at the sometimes surprising final movies by some of the world's biggest movie stars.

A couple of caveats to the forthcoming list. As the title states, we're looking at the final movies that certain actors and actresses worked on, which is not necessarily the last movie that was ever released, as sometimes movies that had been in development earlier get completed years and even decades later. We're also only considering theatrically released films, and not television movies or series. 

Heath Ledger - The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus 

Ledger's legacy is most closely tied to The Dark Knight for which he won a posthumous Oscar, but he had already moved on to filming Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus before he died. The script was modified and saw Ledger's character "transformed" at various points, allowing three of Ledger's friends, Jude Law, Johnny Depp, and Colin Firth to all step in to collectively help complete the movie. 

Marilyn Monroe - The Misfits

Marilyn Monroe's role in the drama The Misfits was not the sort of performance that made her famous, yet her final performance, given more than a year before her death, is considered one of her best by critics today.  Monroe had been involved in another movie, Something's Gotta Give at the time of her death, but so little of the movie had been completed that production was simply halted.

 James Dean - Giant 

James Dean was an up-and-coming star when he died in a single-car accident in 1955. He only made three big screen movies before his death with East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and his final film, Giant which was released the year after his death.

John Candy - Wagons East 

Wagons East sees John Candy as a wagon master who has agreed to take a group of settlers who have decided the West isn't for them back to the East. Candy died of a heart attack during production, and stand-ins were used to finish the film so it could be released a few months later. 

Paul Walker - Furious 7

The death of Paul Walker in a tragic car accident took place during the filming of Furious 7. The movie's ending was modified to give his character a proper sendoff and his brother, along with CGI, was used to recreate Walker's likeness for a final farewell.

Bruce Lee - Enter The Dragon 

Bruce Lee's Game of Death uses a combination of the actor and a double as the martial arts expert passed away before he could finish it. However, all of Lee's scenes were shot prior to the film going on hiatus so he could film Enter the Dragon, making this the final film he shot before passing away. 

Katharine Hepburn - Love Affair

Katharine Hepburn was a four-time Oscar winner when she passed away in 2003. She was largely done with the big screen by the 1980s, but she did appear in a small role in Warren Beatty's Love Affair in 1994, the last year she worked before retiring for good. 

 Brandon Lee - The Crow 

The son of Bruce Lee was well on his way to following in his father's footsteps when his life was tragically cut short. A prop gun on the set of The Crow malfunctioned firing a projectile into Lee, which caused his death. His final scenes were filmed with stand-ins so that the movie could be completed. 

Robin Williams - Absolutely Anything

Robin Williams' death in 2014 broke the hearts of millions of fans. There would be two more chances to see (and hear) him at the movies, however. Williams' final appearance was in A Night at the Museum: Secrets of The Tomb which was released just months after his passing. His final project, however, would be as the voice of Dennis the dog in the Simon Pegg-led comedy Absolutely Anything.

Brittany Murphy - Something Wicked

Actress Brittany Murphy died unexpectedly in 2009 and her death has remained a subject of controversy to this day. Her final performance, in the psychological horror movie Something Wicked would not be seen for years as the film was not officially released until 2014.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 

Phillip Seymour Hoffman was not an actor who often appeared in major franchise movies but two of his final performances would come in the two-part finale of The Hunger Games. Mockingjay - Part 1 would be released shortly after his death in 2014. By that point the majority of his role in Mockingjay - Part 2 had been completed, making his final on-screen performance a year later.

Judy Garland - I Could Go On Singing

While Judy Garland would continue to perform right up until she died in 1969, her last years were spent on stage rather than screen. Her final film role would be in 1963's I Could Go on Singing, where she played a successful singer who attempts to bond with her estranged son.  

 John Wayne - The Shootist 

John Wayne's final film role in 1976's The Shootist was in many ways the culmination of his entire career. In the film, he plays a former Western lawman who is dying of cancer, the same disease that would take Wayne's own life three years after the film was completed. 

 Angela Lansbury - Glass Onion 

Angela Lansbury had the sort of career that many actors can only dream of. She was a beloved star of both the big and small screen. Her final appearance in a movie was on an even smaller screen, as she appears on Benoit Blanc's laptop in Glass Onion, as one of four celebrities that Daniel Craig's detective is playing video games with. 

Chadwick Boseman - Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 

Few people knew of Chadwick Boseman's colon cancer diagnosis, which made his death in 2020 a surprise to many. His final movie, An adaptation of the August Wilson play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom for Netflix would earn the actor a posthumous Oscar nomination. 

Audrey Hepburn - Always

The iconic star of Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady made only a handful of films once the 1960s were over. In her final film, she was directed by Steven Spielberg in one of his largely overlooked dramas, Always, in which she plays a spirit named Hap who sets recently departed Richard Dreyfuss on the right path. 

Marlon Brando - The Score 

Marlon Brando was famously difficult to work with, something that remained true up to his final performance. 2001's The Score reportedly required co-star Robert De Niro to direct his old friend, as Brando refused to be directed by Frank Oz. Brando would pass away in 2004.

Ingrid Bergman - Autumn Sonata

Most famous for the role of Ilsa in Casablanca, Ingrid Bergman starred in Autumn Sonata, written and directed by Ingmar Bergman (while the two get famously confused, there is no relation). She was nominated for her seventh Academy Award for the role. 

Dennis Hopper - The Last Film Festival

Dennis Hopper passed away during during the production of The Last Film Festival, an indie comedy in which he plays a producer who has been blackballed from every other film festival, and thus attends one in a small American town. The movie turned to Kickstarter to raise the funding needed to complete the project, which they did. 

River Phoenix - Dark Blood

For years it seemed River Phoenix's final film would be the country music drama The Thing Called Love. Phoenix was in the middle of filming the movie Dark Blood when he died in 1993, but his death seemingly ended the production. In 2011 the director picked up the unused footage and reedited it into a complete film. Dark Blood was released in 2014, after making a film festival run in 2012. 

Bette Davis - Wicked Stepmother

Bette Davis was one of the all-time greats of the silver screen, but her final appearance was maybe not up to her previous standards, which is why she reportedly left in the middle of filming. 1989's Wicked Stepmother sees Davis as a witch who marries into an unsuspecting family. The plot shifts part way through to focus on the daughter of Davis' character after the All About Eve star left the film.

Vincent Price - Edward Scissorhands

Vincent Price was one of the fathers of the modern horror movie, so it's fitting that his final big screen outing was as the father of Edward Scissorhands, a movie that blended the horror with the heartwarming in a way that only Tim Burton could. 

Sidney Poitier - The Jackal

Sydney Poitier made history as the first Black actor to win the Oscar for Best Actor in 1964. More than 30 years later he would make his final silver screen performance, as the head of the FBI in 1997's The Jackal with Bruce Willis and Richard Gere. He did do one last television movie, released in 2001 called The Last Brickmaker in America before retiring from acting. 

Humphrey Bogart - The Harder They Fall 

Humphrey Bogart created iconic screen characters from The Maltese Falcon Sam Spade to Casablanca's Rick. His character in 1956's The Harder They Fall, Bogie's last role, isn't nearly as well remembered, but Eddie Willis, the down-on-his-luck sportswriter who gets involved in a boxing scheme to throw fights is just the sort of character that Bogart did so well.

Natasha Richardson - The Wildest Dream

Natasha Richardson's death from injuries sustained in a skiing accident in 2009 shocked the entertainment world. Her final screen performance where she would be seen was 2008's Wild Child but her final work came as a voice in the documentary film The Wildest Dream which followed the story of the first man who attempted to scale Mount Everest, and the climber decades later who found his body.

Elizabeth Taylor - The Flintstones  

The live-action Flintstones movie does not exist in particularly high regard among fans, but if it is remembered at all it will likely be because it contains the final theatrical appearance of Elizabeth Taylor. She played Pearl Slaghoople, Fred Flintstone's mother-in-law.

Charlie Chaplin  - A Countess From Hong Kong 

Charlie Chaplin was one of the first movie stars the world had ever seen. When he started movies didn't even have sound. By the end they had gained, voice, color, and so much more. 1967's A Countess From Hong Kong is a work of Chaplin's primarily behind the camera, as he wrote and directed the film which stars Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren. However, he does appear briefly on screen, for one final time, in a cameo as a ship's porter.

Alan Rickman - Alice Through the Looking Glass 

Alan Rickman will be forever linked to his role of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise for a generation of movie fans. He made several more movies in the five years after that story ended. The final one, a sequel to Disney's live-action Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass, where he reprised his role as Absolem, the caterpillar.

Paul Newman - The Meercats 

Paul Newman received his ninth Oscar nomination the last time he appeared on screen in 2002's Road to Perdition. His voice would remain in movies, however. In 2006 he would voice Doc Hudson in Pixar's Cars. Two years later he would narrate the documentary film The Meerkats, which would be his final performance.

Natalie Wood - Brainstorm

Natalie Wood spent her life acting. She appeared as a child in the original Miracle on the 34th Street and as an adult she wowed audiences, becoming the youngest actress ever (at the time) to be nominated for three Oscars. She died tragically by drowning in 1981 during a break in filming the sci-fi thriller Brainstorm. The movie was almost canceled, but as Wood had completed most of her major scenes, it was finished and released.

Ray Liotta - Dangerous Waters 

When Ray Liotta died in May of 2023 he was in the middle of filming the thriller Dangerous Waters. The movie would be released that October. Liotta plays the movie's villain, a man known simply as The Captain.

Ginger Rogers - Harlow

Ginger Rogers would become famous as a dancer and the frequent screen partner of Fred Astaire. Her final performance, however, would put her in a very different place. In the 1965 biopic of another great actress, Jean Harlow, Rogers plays the star's mother, who takes advantage of her daughter's fame to benefit herself.

Some final performances of great actors rank among their best. Others are clearly forgotten movies for a reason. Either way, anybody interested in the complete career of some of Hollywood's greatest will want to seek these out, if only to see how the story ends. 

Music means a lot in Martin Scorsese's films. He uses a ton of classic songs in Goodfellas and he uses them perfectly. Sometimes the songs add to the mood, and sometimes they directly contrast what is happening on the screen, but in all ways, they help make a great film one of the best of all time. 

“Layla” - Derek & The Dominos

When most people think of “Layla” by Derek & The Dominos (Eric Clapton & co.) they think of that monster riff that opens the song. Instead of using that, Scorsese uses the epic outro of the piano and dueling guitar solo by Clapton and Duane Allman as bodies from the Lufthansa Heist start showing up all over the place from dumpsters to meat lockers. It’s the best use of music in any movie, ever, and it’s one of those movie songs that make me think about a specific scene. 

"Then He Kissed Me" - The Crystals

Scorsese makes liberal use of that classic Phil Spector “Wall of Sound” sound throughout Goodfellas. In what is, if not the most famous scene in the movie, it's right up there as Henry (Ray Liotta) and Karen (Lorraine Bracco) make their way into the Copa in that amazing Steadicam shot that uses “Then He Kissed Me” by The Crystals. A perfect song for a perfect date. 

"Chariot" - Betty Curtis

Martin Scorsese didn’t just scratch the surface of late ‘50s and early ‘60s rock n’ roll, he dug deep. “Chariot” by Italian singer Betty Curtis is a perfect example. There are more famous versions of the song, but this one fits the scene when Karen confronts Henry after he stands her up on their double date.

"Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream

The late 1960s weren’t exactly the Summer of Love for Henry and his crew, but Martin Scorsese still managed to slip in a flower-power anthem with Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love." It comes much later in the movie’s timeline than the ‘60s, but it’s a pivotal moment in the film as Jimmy, played by Scorsese regular Robert De Niro, decides he’s going to whack Morrie (Chuck Low) and the rest of the crew he assembled for the Lufthansa Heist. 

"Atlantis" - Donovan 

There is something about Donovan that can add such a deep air of forbidding. David Fincher used Donovan to great effect in Zodiac, and in Goodfellas, it plays as Tommy (Joe Pesci) takes out a LOT of aggression on Billy Batts (Frank Vincent) while Donovan’s “Atlantis” raises the tension even more. 

"Look in My Eyes" - The Chantels

1961’s “Look in My Eyes” by The Chantels brings a laid-back and classic sound to the Air France heist, which conveys the laid-back way Henry’s first big heist was pulled off. Smooth and easy. 

"Can't We Be Sweethearts" - The Cleftones

"Can't We Be Sweethearts" by The Cleftones is a doo-wop classic that evokes the ‘50s perfectly in the early scenes of the movie. Young Henry is just figuring out his way in the underworld and his father is not pleased about it at all, taking his belt to Henry after the budding gangster misses a little too much school. 

“Gimme Shelter” - The Rolling Stones

One of the greatest songs of all time, “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones is one of a couple of Stones songs that Scorsese mixes into the Goodfellas soundtrack to great effect. It shows up as Henry is explaining his new Pittsburgh connection with help from Debi Mazar's character, Sandy, and selling something he shouldn’t be selling. Paulie (Paul Sorvino) would not be happy if he found out, which he explains to Henry as the song starts. 

“Jump Into The Fire” - Harry Nilsson

“Jump Into The Fire” by the late, great Harry Nilsson is another example of picking the exact right song for a scene in which Henry is on edge, burning the candle at both ends and hardly keeping his life or his work together. He’s strung out and paranoid as he runs all over town balancing his illegal activities, all while being convinced a helicopter is following him.

“Monkey Man” - The Rolling Stones

The paranoia continues for Henry as he, now with Karen in the car, with the helicopter following them as “Monkey Man” plays. Henry speeds off to Karen’s mother’s house to hide the guns. Karen is agitated and Henry looks so bad a doctor gives him something to calm him down. It’s the peak of Henry’s downward spiral. 

“Memo From Turner” - Mick Jagger

This underrated and somewhat obscure gem by Mick Jagger appears only for a little bit as Henry is on his way to the hospital to pick up his brother as he tears around town in his state of paranoia. The jumping back and forth between songs in this classic scene ups the frantic nature 10-fold and it works brilliantly. 

“Magic Bus” - The Who (Live At Leeds version)

This live version of “Magic Bus” by The Who is a long, drawn-out take on one of the band’s earliest hits. It also shows up in the helicopter scene, and like the other mishmash of jumpy songs, this one fits right in as Henry barely avoids an accident. 

"What Is Life" - George Harrison

The paranoia and chaos continue with the crunchy opening riff of George Harrison’s “What is Life” as Henry continues his hectic day, just before he’s eventually busted. It continues to help build the desperation Henry is feeling. 

Mannish Boy" - Muddy Waters

Henry meets up with Sandy (Debi Mazer) at her place and things seem to slow down a little bit as they prepare the package to go to Pittsburgh. Even as he fights with Sandy some, it’s the calmest part of his day, reflected by the blues legend Muddy Waters belting out his classic “Mannish Boy”–a song he also sang live in another Scorsese-helmed film, “The Last Waltz.”

“My Way” - Sid Vicious

As the credits roll at the end of the movie, Sid Vicious belts out his punk version of the Frank Sinatra classic “My Way.” It’s the perfect end of the movie, the serene ‘50s of Henry’s youth are long gone, and the ‘70s are a much more chaotic and edgier time for the gangster, ending with him ratting on all his friends, and while Henry did it “his way”, it wasn’t the way he expected when he got into the life. 

"Rags to Riches" - Tony Bennett

The opening of the movie is very different from the end in tone. Instead of the angry punk takedown of the ‘50s, audiences are treated to a classic big band number by the great Tony Bennett, “Rags To Riches”. The music serves to immediately put us in a time and place, with the same hopeful optimism that young Henry has when he discovers Paulie’s cab stand and sees Sopranos star Tony Sirico (as Tony "Stacks") getting out of a nice car. 

"Frosty the Snowman" - The Ronettes

There is a very brief moment of levity after the crew pulls off the Lufthansa Heist that is ushered in with the Phil Spector-produced Ronette's version of "Frosty The Snowman". It's short-lived though, as everyone starts showing up with expensive items they purchased with the money and Jimmy isn't happy. 

"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" - Darlene Love

Christmas is supposed to be the best time of the year, but at the Christmas party celebrating the heist, Jimmy is not in the best mood. It doesn't help when Morrie begs for his cut, as Darlene Love croons "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" under the tense conversation. 

"Bells of St. Marys" - The Drifters

It's a good Christmas for Henry and Karen after the heist. Henry buys an impressive white tree and showers his wife and kids with gifts, all to the tune of "Bells of St. Marys" by The Drifters.

"Leader of the Pack" by-The Shangri-Las

Reality sets in for Karen when she attends a party with all the other mob wives. As they mingle and test makeup with each other, the sounds of a classic girl group, The  Shangri-Las' song "Leader of the Pack" fits the all-women scene perfectly.

"Baby I Love You" - Aretha Franklin

When Henry sets his first mistress Janice up in an apartment, they have a party to celebrate and there is no better music for a party than the indomitable Aretha Franklin singing her song "Baby I Love You." Poor Karen.  

"Beyond the Sea" - Bobby Darin

Henry's description of prison for wise guys sounds a lot like a vacation. There's lobster, and steak, and very thinly sliced garlic by Paulie. What better way to evoke feelings of time off than "Beyond the Sea" by Bobby Darin? 

"Speedoo" - The Cadillacs

One of the most pivotal moments in Henry's life comes to the tune of "Speedoo" by The Cadillacs, a fantastic early rock n' roll song. It's to the sound of this song that Henry first meets Jimmy at the underground casino run by Paulie. His life would never be the same. 

"It's Not for Me to Say" by Johnny Mathis

Even when the music isn't pivotal to the scene, Martin Scorsese still takes care to make sure it sounds good and fits the mood. Take It's Not for Me to Say" by Johnny Mathis, which plays quietly in the background of Henry's first awkward date with Karen. It features the perfect lyric, 

"Playboy" - The Marvelettes

"Playboy" by The Marvelettes is another great one you might miss if you're not paying attention, as it quietly plays in the car as Henry and Tommy sit outside Henry's restaurant which slowly is engulfed in flames as they look to collect the insurance money on the place. 

"Life Is But a Dream" - The Harptones

Another deep track Martin Scorsese pulls out in Goodfellas is "Life Is But a Dream" by The Harptones. It was never a big hit, but it's an amazing song and perfect for the wedding of Henry and Karen. The scene also has one of the great cameos of the movie with Scorsese's mother, Catherine, playing Tommy's mother and lecturing him at the wedding about settling down. 

"This World We Love In (Il Cielo In Una Stanza)" by Mina

Another one of the most classic scenes in Scorsese's Goodfellas features another deep track, "This World We Love In (Il Cielo In Una Stanza)" by Mina. It's the famous scene when Henry introduces all the gangsters at his restaurant and the music is just barely audible under the din, but once again it sets the mood perfectly. 

"Wives and Lovers" - Jack Jones

"Wives and Lovers" by Jack Jones is the song playing at another pivotal moment in Henry's life when Morrie pitches the idea of the Lufthansa Heist. During a dinner party with Morrie and his wife at the Hill's house, the song plays on the new stereo bought to celebrate Henry's coming home from prison. 

"Roses Are Red" - Bobby Vinton

During the whirlwind romance between Henry and Karen, one of the dates features a show by Bobby Vinton where he performs one of his biggest hits, "Roses Are Red." Karen can't help but be overwhelmed as Vinton sends champagne to the new couple. 

"Hearts of Stone" - Otis Williams and the Charms

Young Henry Hill learns pretty quickly just how ruthless his new mob friends can be when he lets slip that his father isn't happy about him working at the cab stand after a letter from the school reveals Henry hasn't been going. Paulie and the other guys from the cab stand take it out on the mailman and convince him not to deliver any more letter to Henry's house. "Hearts of Stone" by Otis Williams and the Charms adds some real charm to the scene. 

"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" - Tony Bennett

When Henry gets out of jail, Paulie holds a party for him. It's a celebratory affair, but underneath, of course, is the ominous dread that comes with Paulie warning Hanry not to sell drugs outside of prison. Tony Bennett sings the apropos "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" as the party goes on. 

"Sincerely" - The Moonglows

There is so much good music in Goodfellas it can be overwhelming. You really have to listen for some of the buried gems, like "Sincerely" by The Moonglows, which plays at the cookout hosted by Paulie early in the movie. It's a brilliant song. 

Martin Scorcese is, without a doubt, one of the best filmmakers of all time with a slew of legendary movies. One thing most have in common is his uncanny use of music to add to the drama, Goodfellas just happens to be among the very best. 

When it comes to superhero movie casting, history is rife with "almosts" and "what-ifs." From Tom Cruise's potential run as Iron Man to Dougray Scott originally being cast as Wolverine until Hugh Jackman was cast last minute, cinematic universes could have looked very different had some actors made alternative choices. In the realm of Gotham's brooding vigilante, Batman has been portrayed by a myriad of actors, from Michael Keaton to Ben Affleck. However, fans recently got a startling revelation about a major actor who had the opportunity to don the cape and cowl but turned it down. Ray Liotta, the esteemed late star of Goodfellas and Field of Dreams, once had the chance to be the Dark Knight, and his reason for turning it down is both candid and retrospectively regretful.

The revelation came in an uncovered interview with Deadline, shedding light on Liotta's decision-making during the rise of his stardom in the late 1980s. The topic of upcoming superhero movies and changes in Hollywood brought the conversation to why the charismatic actor never took a role in one was brought up, and Liotta’s answer might surprise those who have always envisioned him as a potential Bruce Wayne. When asked whether or not he was ever offered the role, he told the interviewer: 

Liotta's decision to pass on the Caped Crusader wasn't just about his doubts regarding the new superhero genre. At the time, many remembered Batman as Adam West's cloth-clad Batusi dance-loving version of the character. The late '80s had yet to see the superhero boom we know today.

Of course, hindsight is 20/20, and Batman (1989) would go on to become a massive hit, solidifying both Tim Burton's vision and Michael Keaton's legacy as the Dark Knight; where nearly 40 years later, we witnessed the aging actor return to the role in The Flash (as well as long passed actors like Adam West and Christopher Reeve) to fill all us '80s and '90s babies with stomachs full of nostalgia. It's both amusing and a tad heartbreaking to imagine Liotta's distinctive gravitas merged with the complexities of Bruce Wayne.

Regardless of what could have been, Liotta's revelation offers an intriguing look into the crossroads actors face in their careers. Decisions that seem obvious in retrospect are often clouded by contemporary judgments. One can only wonder if, in some parallel universe, Ray Liotta's Batman is an iconic performance discussed and dissected by fans worldwide. In the meantime, we can only cherish the roles he did embrace and the indelible mark he's left on Hollywood. Fans of the late actor might be interested in our list of Liotta's best work and how to watch it or catch his last onscreen performance in Cocaine Bear, streaming for anyone with a Peacock subscription. 

Stay up-to-date about flicks hitting the 2023 movie release schedule and beyond, by staying tuned to CinemaBlend. 

Goodfellas wasn’t the late Ray Liotta’s first role, but it will be his most memorable for many. It’s hard to imagine anyone else stepping into Henry Hill’s olive-brown alligator loafers other than the Something Wild actor. The film’s director, Martin Scorsese, put a lot of thought into who he wanted to play Hill, and he recently revealed the very moment he knew Liotta was perfect for the gangster part. Also, oddly enough, security guards were involved. 

According to the filmmaker, Hill was a character that needed to be confident and charming but also had to have an edge of world-weary innocence. Though martin Scorsese knew Ray Liotta could pull off some aspects of the role thanks to his previous work, he had some reservations about casting the performer. The Taxi Driver director told Variety that his worries were put to ease not during casting or even on set but when the two crossed paths ahead of the beginning of production. The movie maker says it was how Ray handled a situation involving security guards that made everything “click.” Scorsese told the outlet:

Martin Scorsese had been visiting Venice for The Last Temptation of Christ when the pair had their unexpected meet-up. The filmmaker’s adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis’ portrait of Jesus created a tidal wave of controversy that required him to enlist additional protection due to death threats. However, according to Scorsese the Field of Dreams alum handled the situation like a pure gentleman. As the esteemed Oscar winner further recalled:

It was on May 26, 2022 that Ray Liotta died in his sleep at the age of 67. Celebrities like Seth Rogen and Jamie Lee Curtis paid tribute to the brilliant performer. Days after his passing, Liotta’s fiancée, Jacy Nittolo, took to social media to honor the man she intended to marry, calling him the “most beautiful person inside and out” that she’d ever known. And of course, Martin Scorsese penned a heartfelt tribute to the actor, praising him for being “fearless” on the set of the now-iconic mob movie. 

Regrettably, Ray Liotta and Martin Scorsese never collaborated again but, fortunately for cinema buffs, we'll always have Goodfellas and Liotta’s beautifully layered performance as Henry Hill. Fans of the late actor might be interested in our list of Liotta's best work and how to watch it. You can also catch the actor’s final performances in Elizabeth Banks’ “insane” Cocaine Bear and an untitled Charlie Day movie. Meanwhile, Scorsese’s next film, Killers of the Flower Moon, is set to be released in May. 

Elizabeth Banks has been an actor in Hollywood for over 20 years but, in recent years, she's also been getting into directing, between her 2015 feature debut Pitch Perfect 2, her reboot of Charlie’s Angels in 2019 and her latest film, the horror comedy Cocaine Bear. Banks recently spoke about making the movie and reflected on what she's been told about why women don’t typically handle big action movies. She also explained how the late Ray Liotta provided some encouragement.  

During Elizabeth Banks’ interview on the ReelBlend podcast, the actress/director shared that what she was told about women taking director positions was actually debunked by Ray Liotta, whom she worked with on 2023 new movie release. In her words: 

Elizabeth Banks wasn’t given the best feedback when she aimed to jump into the action genre, but she has clearly (and thankfully) ignored any reservations like the ones shared by the producer she mentioned. And when it comes to her time on Cocaine Bear, she felt that being followed and trusted by the star of Goodfellas was a vote of confidence. With that, it reinforced the notion that she could in fact direct what she wanted to and, by god, she did! Check out the full response during the podcast interview in the YouTube clip down below: 

Of course, it's also sweet to hear that during production, Elizabeth Banks was able to forge a solid working relationship with Ray Liotta. This movie marks one of the final roles he took on before he died at the age of 67 back in May 2022. The Cocaine Bear director shared that she’s forever “grateful” to the late acting icon for lending his talents to the horror comedy. And he was apparently “game” for the somewhat ridiculous premise and even wanted more jokes for himself once he read the script. 

As Elizabeth Banks also shared, she worked with him prior to this production, on 2011’s The Details, during which she felt his professionalism and sensed his charm right off the bat. Their prior working relationship probably made it even easier for the two to gel on the set of this latest flick, which is different from their first collaboration.

Cocaine Bear is off to a great start commercially, as critics are high on the gory comedy. The movie also didn't blow on preview night at the box office, with the movie now making more than initially predicted. And so far, tracking has the movie landing on a nice haul for its opening weekend.   

It’s great to see not only such a unique concept catch moviegoers' eyes but for a talented filmmaker like Elizabeth Banks to be juggling action, comedy and horror in one of the year's most anticipated movies. Let's hope that she keeps proving the status quo wrong!  You can check out Cocaine Bear in theaters now!

Monster-like animals can be a great starting point for an action film, whether it’s a lion like in Beast or the prehistoric creatures in Jurassic World Dominion. Add to that the words “Based on a True Story,” and you’ve got a tasty theatrical stew cooking. Cocaine Bear is loosely inspired by real events, and audiences will see what happens when a 500-pound black bear goes on a rampage after ingesting large amounts of cocaine. The reviews are in, so let’s let the critics help us decide if we should grab a big glass of Diet Cokagne and head to the theater this weekend.

Director Elizabeth Banks is hoping to find box office success with Cocaine Bear, which boasts an ensemble cast that includes Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, to name a few, as well as the late Ray Liotta, who passed away in May 2022. The NSFW trailer promises a hilarious and gory horror comedy, so let’s see what the critics have to say, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Cocaine Bear. Our own Mike Reyes gives the movie 3.5 stars out of 5, calling the movie ridiculously fun, imploring moviegoers to “just say yes”: 

Mike Ryan of Uproxx gives Cocaine Bear a resounding “Oh Hell Yes,” saying there’s no false advertising in the movie’s title, and this movie is everything he could have asked for. In his words: 

Lovia Gyarkye of THR calls the movie a “no thoughts, just vibes” kind of experience, with the 90-minute runtime aiming for maximum entertainment value, even if the details get murky if you look too closely. The critic continues: 

Jude Dry of IndieWire grades Cocaine Bear a "B-," calling it a clever but obvious cash grab on the part of Elizabeth Banks. And while it may provide a bump to the historically sleepy February movie scene, what you see in the title is what you get from this film. More from this review: 

Aaron Neuwirth of We Live Entertainment also thinks the movie falls a little short, giving it a "user rating" of 5. The critic admits that there is a lot to like, though, including the CGI bear and the comedic timing of some of the cast. The review reads:  

If you are intrigued by what Elizabeth Banks and her cast have pulled off here, you can first give the Cocaine Bear a follow on Twitter and then watch Cocaine Bear online as it hits streaming services. Also be sure to check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to see what other films are headed to a theater near you. 

In 1985, in the depths of Chattahoochee National Forest, a hunter discovered a dead 175-pound black bear who had just ingested 75 pounds of cocaine after a drug smuggler had unsuccessfully moved some drugs from Colombia to the United States. But what if this bear had just gotten super high and went crazy on locals in the forest? That is the story of the 2023 movie release Cocaine Bear. 

From Into the Spider-Verse producers Chris Miller and Phil Lord, who’ve previously teased how “insane” it is. The movie is also directed by Elizabeth Banks years after she helmed Charlie’s Angels comes the first trailer (you can watch above) for the upcoming horror movie / outrageous comedy. And from the looks of it, Cocaine Bear is going to be absolutely hilarious, vulgar and super gory. 

The script was written by The Babysitter: Killer Queen writer Jimmy Warden. When CinemaBlend attended a Los Angeles event for Cocaine Bear with Elizabeth Banks earlier this week, the actor/filmmaker shared her direction for the movie, saying this: 

The Cocaine Bear trailer adapts the wild piece of history with fiction as drug smugglers drop their blow in the national forest and the wild, fuzzy black bear consumes a whole block of it before causing quite the ruckus for everyone in the surrounding area. Among the cast is Solo’s Alden Ehrenreich, reteaming with Lord and Miller after his Star Wars movie, Keri Russell, Sweet Tooth’s Christian Convery and the late Ray Liotta as the movie’s drug kingpin hungry for coke after losing it in the drop gone wrong. 

Liotta’s upcoming role in Cocaine Bear is now among his final performances after the Goodfellas actor died at the age of 67 in May. Following his death, Martin Scorsese showed his regret not having worked with him again. It’ll be a treat to see the actor bring comedy to Cocaine Bear amidst the movie walking a line between ridiculousness and a slasher starring a high AF bear. 

The bear was created with the help of CGI from Weta Digital, which are the creatives behind The Planet of the Apes and Lord of the Rings movies. As the movie teases, there’s a ton of fun f-bombs, dark humor and slasher-like action as the bear gets high on cocaine and just runs wild. Cocaine Bear is set to hit theaters on February 24. 

Tragic news occurred when beloved actor Ray Liotta, the star of 1990's Goodfellas, died in his sleep. He won the hearts of audiences when he played Henry Hill, an innocent youngster who becomes fascinated by the Mafia life existing in his Brooklyn neighborhood, and Goodfellas now stands as one of Liotta's best movies. Losing someone has a tendency of making you think of all of the things you wish you told that person or wish you got to have more time with. After learning about the tragic death of Ray Liotta, Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese expressed his regret about not working with him again after Goodfellas. 

With the amazing work Ray Liotta delivered for Goodfellas, it is a shock to know that was the only collaboration between him and Martin Scorsese. The director spoke to The Guardian about his regret in not doing another project with Ray Liotta again after Goodfellas and what his reasoning for that was.

After being in Field of Dreams and Goodfellas, these two films were enough to change Rya Liotta's newbie status and join the ranks of many accomplished actors. Liotta worked with very successful actors like Whoopi Goldberg in Corrina and Denzel Washington in John Q. He would eventually land the role of Tommy Vercetti in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, as well as two movies with The Muppets. Liotta also continued to pave his way in the crime genre with HBO Max crime thrillers No Sudden Move and the Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark. We will still be able to see this cherished actor in his final roles like director Elizabeth Banks’ “insane” Cocaine Bear movie in February 2023 and the AppleTV+ miniseries Black Bird which will debut this July.

To say Martin Scorsese had a successful filmmaking career after Goodfellas would be an understatement. Some of Scorsese's best movies include crime thrillers like The Departed, Casino, and The Wolf of Wall Street. He has also made critically acclaimed historical dramas like Gangs of New York and Hugo. Scorsese's latest film will be the Western crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon which is to be released on Apple TV+ this November. It’s a shame Martin Scorsese wasn't able to find a place for Ray Liotta in his star-studded crime drama The Irishman, which had a reunion of well-known crime genre actors like Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino. 

The Raging Bull director continued to say in his heartfelt tribute about what a “fearless” actor Ray Liotta was, and how despite being new on-set, “he never missed a beat.” It’s a beautiful thing for the working chemistry of an actor to be so strong that it feels like you have been working with each other for years. A number of other actors who have worked with Ray Liotta shared wonderful tributes after hearing of his death like Kevin Costner, who worked with him in Field of Dreams; Jennifer Lopez who co-starred with him in Shades of Blue; and Jacy Nittolo, his fiancée who expressed in her tribute how much Liotta meant to her.

Martin Scorsese concluded his tribute by hoping Ray Liotta knew how much their work together meant to him. He will be missed by his fans and anyone who has had the privilege to know him. You can watch Ray Liotta’s stellar performance in Goodfellas with your HBO Max subscription.

On May 26, Ray Liotta passed away at the age of 67, and celebrities like Seth Rogen and Jamie Lee Curtis paid tribute to him soon afterwards. Days after his passing, Liotta’s fiancée, Jacy Nittolo, went on social media to honor the man she intended to marry, calling him “most beautiful person inside and out” she’d ever known. Now Martin Scorsese, who directed Liotta in 1990’s Goodfellas, has penned his own heartfelt tribute to the actor.

While Ray Liotta put together an impressive body of movie and TV work over his 40+ years of acting, ranging from his time on Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner to starring alongside Jennifer Lopez in the NBC series Shades of Blue, he was arguably best known for playing Henry Hill in Goodfellas, which co-starred Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. In an op-ed he wrote for The Guardian, Martin Scorsese recounted the story behind how Liotta was selected to star in Goodfellas, noting how the part required someone who could be “disarming,” “dangerous” and “vulnerable.” Looking back, Scorsese realized he wanted Liotta to play Henry after meeting him at The Last Temptation of Christ’s world premiere in Venice, and then the filmmaker showered the following praise onto the late actor:

Based on the non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, Goodfellas (which Pileggi co-wrote with Martin Scorsese) chronicled Henry Hill’s rise and fall through organized crime, albeit with some creative embellishments that come with Hollywood adaptations. In addition to the kind words above, Scorsese also shared an anecdote that exemplified Liotta’s work ethic. On the day he, Pesci, Robert De Niro and Paul Sorvino shot the scene where Henry, Jimmy and Tommy give Paulie the tribute money from the Air France heist, Liotta learned his mother was dying of cancer. Scorsese urged the actor to go be with his mother, but Liotta was adamant he perform this specific scene first, and given the euphoria the actors needed to express, when all was said and done, there were “laughter and tears, tears and laughter.” 

Ray Liotta reportedly passed away in his sleep while he was in the Dominican Republic shooting Dangerous Waters; the cause of death hasn’t been revealed yet. Now that Liotta’s gone, Martin Scorsese expressed regret that he never got to work with him again after Goodfellas, although it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Still, the two men went on to add even more impressive credits to their resume, and some of Liotta's most notable post-Goodfellas films include Cop Land, Hannibal, Identity, Smokin' Aces and Marriage Story. The Many Saints of Newark, the Sopranos prequel movie, was Liotta's last film appearance before he died.

It is indeed a shame Ray Liotta and Martin Scorsese never collaborated again, but fortunately, their one project together is still considered a cinematic triumph over 30 years later, with Goodfellas’ many accolades including winning one Academy Award (Joe Pesci for Best Supporting Actor) and being nominated in five other categories. While Liotta is no longer with us, along with the aforementioned Dangerous Waters, his upcoming posthumous releases include Elizabeth Banks’ “insane” Cocaine Bear and the untitled Charlie Day movie. Scorsese’s next movie, Killers of the Flower Moon, will come out sometime this November.

We here at CinemaBlend continue to pass along our condolences to Ray Liotta’s family and friends during this difficult time.

Hollywood was dealt a massive blow this week, as acclaimed actor and producer Ray Liotta died at the age of 67. Since the news broke, the Goodfellas icon has been heavily mourned by his colleagues and by multitudes of fans who were taken by his incredible body of work. Now, one of his loved ones has spoken out on his death, as his fiancée penned a loving tribute to him following his passing. 

At the time of his death, Ray Liotta was engaged to Jacy Nittolo, who he proposed to back in 2020. Nittolo took to Instagram to share the heartfelt words about her recently departed lover. In her caption, she sweetly reflected on the good times they shared together and expressed just how much the actor meant to her:

Jacy Nittolo’s thoughts are a beautiful summation of the love she shared with the celebrated performer. Based on these sentiments, it seems she’s not choosing to mourn the loss but instead, opting to appreciate and fondly remember the moments that she was able to spend with her partner. In her post, she also included some lovely photos that you can see for yourself down below: 

On Thursday, it was reported that Ray Liotta had died in his sleep, though a formal cause of death remains unclear, as of this writing. At the time, Liotta was in the Dominican Republic, where he was filming Dangerous Waters. The film, directed by John Barr, is a thriller that also starred Eric Dane, Odeya Rush and Saffron Burrows.

Seth Rogen and Jamie Lee Curtis were among those to speak out after the stars’s passing. Rogen praised him as “a lovely, talented and hilarious person” while also calling his opportunity to work with him on Observe and Report “one of the great joys of [his] career.” Lee Curtis, who starred alongside the late star in Dominick and Eugene, called him “a gentle man” who, through his work, “showed his complexity as a human being.” His Field of Dreams co-star, Kevin Costner, also remembered him by sharing a sweet BTS moment.

Another particularly warm tribute came from Jennifer Lopez, who starred alongside Ray Liotta on NBC crime drama Shades of Blue for three seasons. In her touching tribute, JLo referred to Liotta as a “true tough guy” but also made note of his “mushy” center, which was apparent whenever he was around her kids. The entertainer also reflected on the “intense” on-camera  moments the two shared and shared that she feels “lucky” to have been able to work with him when she did.

Though losing the Many Saints of Newark alum is tough, it’s comforting to see just how much he was appreciated. His legacy will truly live on through his movies (most of which are widely available to watch). However, many like Jacy Nittolo are also sure to remember him for who he was as a man and not just a performer.

We here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to Jacy Nittolo as well as Ray Liotta’s other loved ones during this time.

The world lost one of its brightest and fiercest stars in May 2022 with the death of Ray Liotta, who passed away suddenly. The legendary actor who made us laugh, cry, and feel just about every other emotion with his remarkable performances in the likes of Goodfellas and Field of Dreams leaves behind a remarkable legacy dating back several decades, and one that we won’t forget for some time.

In honor of his life and career, we have put together a list of Ray Liotta’s best movies and all the different ways you can watch them. In our hour of collective grief, the best way we can remember Liotta is to revisit a few of his most iconic performances. 

Goodfellas (1990)

Martin Scorsese’s landmark gangster film, Goodfellas, follows the rise and fall of mobster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) as he goes from a young kid enamored by the Mafia in Brooklyn to one of the most prominent figures in the crime world, and finally to someone who will do anything to keep himself out of trouble and alive, even it means turning on his friends and family.

It is hard not to get hooked by the smooth narration from Liotta’s character throughout what is undeniably one of the best '90s movies, especially his now iconic “As far back as I can remember…” line that opens the film’s sprawling narrative. Although Hill is far from being a likable guy, his character, personality, and coolness make him one you can’t help watch over and over again.

Stream Goodfellas on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Goodfellas on Amazon.
Get it on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Field of Dreams (1989)

Phil Alden Robinson's 1989 baseball movie, Field of Dreams, centers on Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) as he is contacted by a mysterious voice that compels him to build a baseball field in the middle of his cornfield, saying “If you build it, he will come.” Initially thinking the “he” is “Shoeless” Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta), the baseball legend banned from the sport nearly a century earlier, Ray soon learns that something much larger than that is happening.

The amount of pain and weight carried on Ray Liotta’s Joe Jackson’s shoulders, on his face, and in his eyes in Field of Dreams is a masterclass in acting. Liotta, who was still an up-and-coming actor at the time, absolutely shines in this role and makes an already emotional movie all the more poignant, especially when he first arrives in Iowa.

Stream Field of Dreams on Amazon.
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Get it on DVD on Amazon.

Narc (2002)

Released in 2002, Joe Carnahan’s neo-noir crime thriller, Narc, follows narcotics detective Nick Tellis (Jason Patric) as he investigates the murder of a cop alongside the fallen officer’s morally ambiguous partner, Henry Oak (Ray Liotta). As he continues his investigation into the strange circumstances surrounding the death, Tellis learns more and more about his new partner, not knowing if he can fully trust him.

One of the things that made Ray Liotta such a great actor was the nuance and uncertainty he brought to a lot of his roles. This is especially true throughout Narc, where you don’t really know if he is just a good cop with unsavory tactics or a vicious killer who’ll do anything to protect himself above all else. 

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The 2001 biographical crime drama, Blow, tells the story of American drug kingpin George Jung (Johnny Depp), who helped usher in a new era of drug trafficking in the 1970s with his massive cocaine empire. But, as is the case with essentially every other story that starts with “young man makes a killing moving drugs,” this sad tale of a fall from grace is full of heartbreak, betrayal, and suffering.

Upon seeing Ray Liotta’s name on the cast list for this crime movie directed by Ted Demme, you would think he would be playing some kind of criminal, but that’s far from the case in Blow. In his portrayal of George’s father, Fred Jung, Liotta plays a loving father who is the voice of reason in his son’s ear, especially when it comes to understanding that “money isn’t real,” both as a child and an adult.

Stream Blow on Netflix.
Rent/Buy Blow on Amazon.

Cop Land (1997)

James Mangold’s 1997 crime drama, Cop Land, centers on a group of corrupt NYPD cops who take advantage of a loophole to live outside the department’s jurisdiction, meaning they can’t be touched by Internal Affairs for any of their misdeeds. But, when one of the officers accidentally kills two young men, the whole gig could potentially go up in flames, especially with Sheriff Freddy Heflin (Sylvester Stallone) on the case.

This movie had a who’s who of great actors like Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, and Edie Falco, but one of the standouts was Ray Liotta, who portrayed Gary “Figgsy” Figgis, one of the one-time crooked cops who falls out of favor with his old buds. His slow descent into madness is always one aspect of Cop Land I love watching the most, and it’s hard to think of anyone who could have pulled it off so well.

Stream Cop Land on HBO Max.
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Get it on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Marriage Story (2019)

Noah Baumbach’s Academy Award-winning Netflix movie, Marriage Story, follows Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole Barber (Scarlett Johansson), who decide to file for divorce after growing apart over the years. Although it seems like a good idea at the time, the decision pushes the once close couple to a place they never thought they’d be.

The two leads are phenomenal throughout the highly emotional movie, but it’s their lawyers — Nora Fanshaw (Laura Dern) and Jay Marotta (Ray Liotta) — who provide some of the movie’s most intense and memorable moments. Liotta didn’t take home an Oscar like Dern, but his performance is right up there in terms of intensity and emotion. He very much felt like a real person and not a character on the screen.

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The Place Beyond The Pines (2012)

Derek Cianfrance’s incredibly moving crime epic, The Place Beyond the Pines, centers on two men, played by Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper, on opposite sides of an incident that forever changes their own lives but also those of their two sons years later.

One of the most unforgettable and menacing characters in The Place Beyond the Pines is Detective Peter Deluca, a role that Cianfrance told GQ was specifically written for Ray Liotta years before he even offered the actor a spot in the movie. Whenever Deluca is on screen is a moment worth remembering for the brilliance of the actor and the intimidating nature of the character.

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Identity (2003)

Another James Mangold movie to feature Ray Liotta in a prominent role, the 2003 whodunit Identity follows a group of people trapped in an isolated Nevada hotel during a storm. To make matters worse, an unknown killer begins picking off the strangers one by one in this white-knuckle thriller loosely based on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.

There are plenty of reasons to celebrate Identity, including its twists and turns, handling of the psychological thriller genre, and the absurdly amazing cast, which includes John Cusack, Alfred Molina, and Ray Liotta, to name a few. Without giving much away, Liotta’s character, Samuel Rhodes, is responsible for some of the film’s most shocking and gratifying moments that make the movie more than worth a watch.

Stream Identity on Netflix.
Rent/Buy Identity on Amazon.

Something Wild (1986)

Jonathan Demme’s 1986 dark comedy, Something Wild, follows uptight banker Charles Driggs (Jeff Daniels) as he gets caught up in the hectic life of Audrey “Lulu” Hankel (Melanie Griffith), a free-spirited woman who has him go with her as a guest to her high school reunion. While there, Lulu’s husband, Ray Sinclair (Ray Liotta) arrives on the scene and takes an already complicated matter to the next level.

One of craziest, and honestly most impressive things about Ray Liotta’s electric performance is the fact that it was only his second film role (he had a few TV credits at this point in his career). If you didn’t know any better you would think this unhinged man on screen had been acting professionally for years, which is a testament to his incredible talent.

Stream Something Wild on Tubi.
Get it on DVD on Amazon.

Corrina, Corrina (1994)

Jessie Nelson’s 1994 comedy-drama, Corrina, Corrina, tells the story of Manny Singer (Ray Liotta), a widower businessman looking for a babysitter to take care of his young daughter, Molly (Tina Majorino). Just when it looks like no one is fit for the job, in walks Corrina Washington (Whoopi Goldberg), who changes both of their lives for the better.

I distinctly remember watching Corrina, Corrina multiple times throughout my childhood as the movie was a permanent fixture on TNT back in ‘90s, and the film was actually my first time recalling Ray Liotta. He doesn’t cuss as much, he’s not as chaotic as usual, but his performance works great when put alongside Whoopi Goldberg, resulting in an impressive dynamic. 

Rent/Buy Corrina, Corrina on Amazon.

The Many Saints Of Newark (2021)

Alan Taylor’s 2021 Sopranos prequel, The Many Saints of Newark, takes it back to the beginning for young Tony Soprano (Michael Gandolfini) as he finds himself wrapped up in one of the most trying times of not only his life, but in the history of his crime-ridden hometown, experiencing things that will turn him from a child into the crime boss we all know and love (or love to hate).

Just like the original HBO drama series, The Many Saints of Newark has a large ensemble cast that includes Jon Bernthal, Leslie Odom Jr., Corey Stoll, and Ray Liotta playing not one, but two characters. No surprise, but Liotta’s range throughout the crime drama was masterful to say the least, and it serves as a nice reminder how great he was in gangster movies.

Stream The Many Saints of Newark on HBO Max.

But, this is just a small portion of the great performances Ray Liotta gave us over the years, and his presence will be sorely missed in the weeks, months, and years to come. Oh, and I couldn’t end this story any other way than by including this hilarious clip from Wild Hogs. 

The passing of Ray Liotta at age 67 came as a shock to fans and the entertainment industry. The Emmy winner’s death led to an outpouring of tributes and condolences from those in Hollywood, including his Shades of Blue co-star Jennifer Lopez. After starring in the NBC police drama for three seasons, the entertainer decided to pay tribute to her late co-star with a touching message.

For three seasons, Lopez and Liotta shared a father/daughter-like relationship as Harlee Santos and Matt Wozniak on the crime drama. That relationship translated off-screen as the Marry Me actress took to her Instagram to tell the world more about the man behind mafioso classics. The multi-hyphenate hit the right note by revealing the more personable side of the movie tough guy.

Juxtaposing the real man to his tough-guy characters proved what a true thespian Liotta was. Knowing how kind he was to Lopez’s children drove that home. But the entertainer wasn’t done speaking about her late co-star as an actor. The actress recalled what it was like working with and learning from the character actor as a screen partner.

Learning from and working with an actor of his caliber would help anyone step up their game. Thankfully, the Hustlers actress and the Hollywood vet had instant chemistry on the NBC crime drama. That chemistry paid off as she touched on how his humanity made him such a great actor while bidding farewell to the Goodfellas actor.

Lopez’s words spoke to the person she got to know while sharing the screen for three years. You can see some of her special moments with Liotta by checking out her Instagram post below.

The pop singer wasn’t the only former co-star to acknowledge Liotta’s passing. His Field of Dreams co-star Kevin Costner paid tribute by sharing a BTS moment about their famous baseball scene from the film. His response came on the heels of condolences and touching messages from friends and co-stars like Seth Rogen, Lorraine Bracco, and Rosanna Arquette.

At the time of his death, the Many Saints of Newark actor was working on the film Dangerous Waters. The late actor will be seen next in the Apple TV+ series Black Bird, which is set to premiere in July. You can check out our 2022 TV schedule for more of what's on the way. To watch all three seasons of Shades of Blue, you can subscribe to Amazon Prime.

Movie fans were saddened this week to learn of the death of actor Ray Liotta. At only 67 years of age, and a man who has had multiple roles on screen that can easily be described with the word “iconic,” it was a shock to learn of his loss. It was even harder to deal with for those that knew Liotta personally, including those who shared the screen with him in those famous roles, like Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams.

Costner posted to Instagram to say he was “devastated” to learn of Liotta’s passing. Liotta played Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams and Costner posted a short clip of the first scene the two actors have in the movie. He also revealed that a famous moment, where Costner nearly gets beaned by a ball hit by Liotta, wasn’t scripted.  

I like how Kevin Costner calls his wild dive out of the way a “stunt.” It makes it sound much more professional than just a guy trying to avoid getting hit by a line drive. It does give you a new perspective on the scene however. They could have very easily ended the scene and tried again if Costner wasn’t supposed to go down, but Costner plays it off in character, and the moment ends up staying in the movie. The fact that this shot was genuine is one of those Field of Dreams behind-the-scenes moments that had been revealed before, but it’s probably still news to many people. 

Field of Dreams was a fairly early movie in Ray Liotta’s career and so it was possibly the place where a lot of movie fans first saw the actor. From there he would go on to appear in a hundred more movies and TV shows. But his role in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, may be the only performance on par with Field of Dreams as far as its popularity with the general public.

The two films came out in consecutive years and if nothing else it shows Ray Liotta’s range as an actor to play such vastly different characters. One of them is a father in an emotional story, and the other is a monster. And yet, we love them both equally, likely due to the fact that Ray Liotta is just so good at both. 

Kevin Costner says Liotta will “always be Shoeless Joe Jackson” to him and that’s probably the case for many fans. It’s just one of those movies that everybody loves, so much so that Field of Dreams is now getting the TV reboot treatment, which is why the loss of one of its stars is being felt so strongly by so many. Liotta is the second star of Field of Dreams to die in less than a year, actor Art Le Fleur passed away last fall. Dealing with death and loss is what Field of Dreams is really all about. Perhaps it will give the movie a different, and even more emotional, feel now that Shoeless Joe is truly gone. 

Earlier today, Goodfellas and Field of Dreams actor Ray Lotta passed away at the age of 67. No details about his death have been revealed other than he passed in his sleep while in the Dominican Republic to shoot his latest project, Dangerous Waters. With a career that last four decades, Liotta touched a lot of lives over his time on Earth, and in addition to plenty of fans expressing sadness that he’s no longer with us, many celebrities, including Seth Rogen and Jamie Lee Curtis, have turned to social media to pay tribute to him.

Starting off, we have Seth Rogen, who co-starred with Ray Liotta in 2009’s Observe and Report, the dark comedy about a vigilante mall cop who tries to join the police academy. Rogen said the following about getting to work with Liotta:

Going to Jamie Lee Curtis, she went way back with Ray Liotta, with the two of them starring together in 1988’s Dominick and Eugene, which was about twin brothers, one of whom became intellectually disabled after an accident. Curtis summarized her feelings about Liotta with these words:

I’ve already mentioned the movie, but it bears repeating that one of Ray Liotta’s most well-known flicks was Goodfellas, the film adaptation about the rise and fall of mobster Henry Hill. Among Liotta’s costars in the 1990 crime movie was Lorraine Bracco, who played the Karen Hill to Liotta’s Henry. Bracco said this about the late actor:

Next, we have James Mangold, who directed Ray Liotta in both 1997’s Cop Land and 2003’s Identity. Here’s how Mangold remembered his time with Liotta:

One of Ray Liotta’s final onscreen appearances before his death was in The Many Saints of Newark, where he played twin brothers “Hollywood Dick” and “Sally” Moltisanti. Liotta appeared opposite Alessandro Nivola, who played Dickie Moltisanti, Dick’s son, and Nivola recalled the time he spent with Liotta on the Sopranos prequel movie as follows:

Finally, although Rosanna Arquette never acted in any projects with Ray Liotta, they were friends in real life, so you can understand out his death would hit her especially hard. Arquette honored Liotta with the following:

These are just some of the celebrities who’ve paid tribute to Ray Liotta following his death, either on social media or in official statements (like what Robert De Niro told ET), so feel free to look around to see what other people have said. Liotta’s other major credits over the years included Something Wild, Smokin’ Aces, The Place Beyond the Pines, Marriage Story, two Muppet-led movies and the NBC series Shades of Blue, which he co-starred in with Jennifer Lopez. While it’s unclear what will happen with Liotta’s role in the previously-mentioned Dangerous Waters, he will appear in a handful of posthumously-released upcoming movies, including the wild Elizabeth Banks-directed thriller Cocaine Bear.

We here at CinemaBlend offers our condolences to Ray Liotta’s family and friends during this difficult time. He will be missed.

In a legendary career of humor, heavies, and heartwarming projects, actor Ray Liotta could play to every corner of humanity. The star of movies like Goodfellas and Field of Dreams, his resume ran the table, leaving behind memorable performances that defined his legacy. Today, we look back at those roles, as Liotta has suddenly passed away at the age of 67; just as he was working on an upcoming movie. 

Deadline broke the news, which also noted that Liotta was in the middle of shooting his latest project, Dangerous Waters. At this time, no cause of death has been pronounced, just that Ray Liotta had passed in his sleep. He is survived by daughter Karsen, and his fiancee Jacy Nittolo. 

Getting his start in the world of television, Ray Liotta’s acting career started in 1978, with the role of Joey Perrini on the hit NBC soap opera Another World. It wasn’t until 1983 that Liotta would break into the world of movies, thanks to a role in the adaptation of author Harold Robbins’ novel The Lonely Lady. 

Ray Liotta would eventually land the one, two punch of starring as Shoeless Joe Jackson in the soon-to-be-remade baseball drama Field of Dreams, as well as mobster Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese’s saga Goodfellas. Within the span of a little over a year, he showed the world a tender portrait of a disgraced sportsman, as well as a wild journey through the world of organized crime. Both would remain as perfect landmarks on a resume that would add even more to its impressive canon. 

In the decades that would follow, Ray Liotta pretty much did it all. The Newark, New Jersey born talent would even land roles in video games like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, as well as not one, but two movies Liotta would share with The Muppets. This was on top of playing despicable villains, like Paul Krendler in Ridley Scott’s Hannibal, as well as voicing animated roles like Moe’s dad on The Simpsons, and projects like Bee Movie and Spongebob Squarepants. 

Most recently, Liotta was seen as ramping up to a career renaissance, through roles in the HBO Max crime thrillers No Sudden Move and The Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark. Among Ray Liotta's final roles are director Elizabeth Banks’ “insane” Cocaine Bear movie, as well as the streaming series Black Bird, which will debut for Apple TV+ subscribers later this year. 

Playing silly and sinister to a tee, Ray Liotta leaves a litany of performances that show just how wide his range was. Able to goof around as easily as he could take the fight to an enemy, his presence throughout all media will be missed. In the aftermath of his untimely passing, we here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to Liotta’s family and friends in this time of grieving. 

One of the more popular scripted shows of the summer was NBC's Shades of Blue, which is somewhat surprising, considering the crime drama was cancelled by the network ahead of Season 3's premiere in June. The fans kept turning out on the way to last night's series finale, though, and star Ray Liotta really wishes Shades of Blue could keep going into Season 4 and beyond. He even has a great idea for how Wozniak and others' stories could keep going without Jennifer Lopez, whose work on World of Dance takes precedence. In Liotta's words:

Ray Liotta, whose real-life daughter also appeared on the show, was obviously just randomly throwing some pipe-dream casting out there into the ethers, but that doesn't deny just how smart his line of thinking was when speaking with IndieWire about Shades of Blue coming to an end. Any time there is a need for a female lead at the head of a major TV drama, then Edie Falco's name should always be at the top of the list of people to reach out to. The Nurse Jackie and Sopranos vet is great no matter what role she's got, and she'd just recently worked with NBC for the headline-ripping spinoff Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, which was only set for a single season. So maybe she's free to take on a new show?

Without getting into finale spoilers here, Shades of Blue wrapped up its third season in a way that could legitimately continue without Jennifer Lopez's Harlee Santos as the narrative's ringleader. Even if the producers couldn't secure Edie Falco for a potential fourth season, the option would still be there to replace the lead with someone else without having to shutter the entire series. To be sure, Lopez was an executive producer and was partly responsible for bringing it to air in the first place, but she could presumably put those duties on the back burner for others to handle in any future seasons.

Because one thing is for sure: Ray Liotta is not pleased that Shades of Blue is over. He wants more from it, and even playfully threw Jennifer Lopez under the bus for ending it for everyone else.

For now, Shades of Blue is no more, with this particular dirty cop tale having concluded. You can catch the entire series run on Hulu, though. And if you need something to watch while mourning the drama's absence, head to our fall premiere schedule.

Fans of Shades of Blue got some bad news from NBC not so long ago, but there's still plenty to be excited about in the upcoming episodes. The plot is as twisty as ever when it comes to some of the characters, and a brand new look at the next installment proves that Matt Wozniak is in for a seriously unsettling experience with his dead daughter, who will be played by none other than Karsen Liotta. Yes, Ray Liotta's real-life daughter will be playing his character's daughter on Shades of Blue. Take a look!

In case you couldn't have guessed after how the previous episode ended, Wozniak will be in a bad way when the July 8 episode kicks off, and the image shows that he's taken a serious beating. In fact, Wozniak looks like he's going to have a hard time getting up from patching his wounds, let alone dealing logically with the vision of his dead daughter.

Few details are currently available about how and why Wozniak sees his daughter, but we can probably rule out a reveal that she's secretly been alive all along. For one thing, introducing an Anna Kate who is very much alive despite her reported suicide way back in the beginning of the series wouldn't be a very Shades of Blue move, especially when Wozniak is dealing with complications courtesy of his son, Nate.

Another sign that the Anna Kate who appears on Shades of Blue will be the Anna Kate who died years ago is the fact that Anna Kate committed suicide when she was 19 years old, and actress Karsen Liotta is currently 19 years old. No, the odds are quite good that Wozniak is seeing his daughter as she was when she was alive, likely due to the head trauma he clearly suffered after the end of last week's episode.

It should be interesting to see how Ray Liotta and daughter Karsen will work together. Anna Kate presumably won't have one-on-one scenes with anybody other than Wozniak in the episode, so it should showcase their abilities as an acting duo. We can only wonder at this point what this vision of Anna Kate will want for her dad and what he will do in response to seeing her.

While Wozniak is dealing with daughter drama, plenty of other stories will be unfolding in the July 8 episode. Called "A Walking Shadow," the episode will see Harlee make a move on Ramsey's Intelligence Unit that lands her and Cole in some serious danger, all in the name of bringing criminals to justice. TVLine also reports that Stahl will increase his focus on debunking Harlee's credibility, and Espada must continue to deal with the deep secret that Wallace is being used for undercover operations by none other than Wozniak.

Basically, viewers are in for a wild ride with the next episode, so be sure to tune in to NBC on Sunday, July 8 at 10 p.m. ET. The current third season will also be the final season; don't miss an episode if you want to follow the action in real time. For some alternate viewing options now and in the not-too-distant future, check out our summer TV premiere guide. For what will be available on NBC in the fall after Shades of Blue is done for good, swing by our rundown of NBC's fall 2018-2019 schedule.

The Simpsons will soon tell yet another story about Moe Szyslak, although this time, we'll be learning a bit about the character's origin. For that episode, the series will be introducing a figure central to Moe's upbringing: his father. The Simpsons finally introducing Moe's dad is kind of a big deal, so it's not surprising the series tapped actor Ray Liotta to voice Morty Szyslak for the upcoming Season 29 episode.

The Moe apple doesn't fall far from the Szyslak family tree as Ray Liotta's Morty is described as a more cunning and evil version of Moe. That's not saying much considering Moe is a little more misguided and creepy than evil, although imagining an evil version of Moe that still has the same traits as Moe could mean one of the evilest characters the show has created to date. EW reported Liotta will play Moe's father in an upcoming episode of The Simpsons in April, in a story that will also feature Debi Mazar voicing Moe's sister Minnie.

The Simpsons' Moe episode had been teased earlier in the year by executive producer Matt Selman, who described the episode as a "Shakespearean family drama set against the backdrop of a fading mattress store empire." Moe and Shakespeare are two things that don't seem to go together, so the combination of the two should make for a memorable story. As for how the episode will play out, one would imagine this "family history" episode will flash between the past and present so that fans can get a sense of why Moe managed to go all this time without mentioning his father. Of course, we're talking about a guy who frequently calls Marge Simpson "Midge," so it's not like fans will need an incredibly lengthy explanation behind all of this.

The Simpsons has done its fair share of Moe-centric episodes, so it's surprising the show has taken this long to work in an origin story. It's also surprising that out of all the celebrities the series has had guest star throughout its run, Ray Liotta is only just now getting a spot in 2018. Both the actor and the show came up in Hollywood around the same time, so it's fitting in a way that Liotta is getting around to appearing on the show now that his career has slowed down a bit. Though The Simpsons had never utilized Liotta until now, it did parody one of his most celebrated films Goodfellas back in the 2006 episode "The Haw-Hawed Couple.":

Ray Liotta will make his debut on The Simpsons on Fox in an upcoming episode of Season 29 this April. For more information regarding upcoming shows returning or brand new, head on over to our midseason premiere guide. To see how the show reacted to the news that Disney bought out their home network, click here.

Cop shows and crime-solving procedurals are now a dime a dozen in our television landscape. Programs like Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds and the recently departed original CSI have all built their legacies on catching a case, fingering the wrong perp and then getting it right in the end. But, every now and then, a cop show tries to take a different tack and weed out those all-too expected procedural notes. Chicago P.D. is currently trying to revitalize the cops-on-cases genre, and now another NBC show, Shades of Blue is attempting the same thing.

Shades of Blue marks Jennifer Lopez’s first starring role on scripted television since Hotel Malibu in 1994. That series only lasted for six episodes, so I’m sure she’s hoping to hit something closer to paydirt this time around, especially since her movie career has slowed down in recent years and American Idol is ending.

Shades of Blue follows police detective Harlee Santos (Jennifer Lopez) and her “crew”, a group of detectives in Brooklyn, New York. She, her boss and friend Lt. Matt Wozniak (Ray Liotta), Tess Nazario (Drea de Matteo), Carlos Espada (Vincent Laresca), Marcus Tufo (Hampton Fluker), Stuart Saperstein (Santino Fontana) and rookie detective Michael Loman (Dayo Okeniyi) are engaged in some behind-the-scenes shenanigans. These include taking bribes from local drug dealers, letting them in on any police action that might affect their illegal businesses and tampering with the occasional crime scene so things turn out the way they need them to. Harlee is living pretty high on the hog, until the FBI sets up a sting that traps her in a no-win situation with her crew on one side and an FBI investigation on the other.

When Harlee’s boss gets wind that there’s a rat in his crew through his street informants, he starts to suspect his whole team, Harlee included. She’s soon busy shuttling details of Wozniak’s increasingly dirty dealings to her FBI handler, Robert Stahl (Warren Kole), and trying to keep herself and her crew safe from Wozniak’s growing paranoia. Harlee does all this while dealing with the pressures of raising a teenage daughter, Cristina (Sarah Jeffery), on her own.

If the main storyline seems like it could lose steam before too long, I wouldn’t worry about that, mainly because the details manage to come fast and furious, but also feel so well-paced that the story never feels rushed or stale. The FBI informant plot is punctuated by side stories that often turn into something more than they seem. And, even if they seem silly or unimportant at first, hanging on for just a bit will always lead to some interesting roads.

Cop shows that give us glimpses of the characters’ personal lives are nothing new, but Shades of Blue manages to seamlessly weave most of those personal stories into the main or subplots so we never feel like the show is trying to choose one angle or another but can’t decide which road is best.

Shades of Blue comes from creator Adi Hasak, who also serves as an executive producer along with Jennifer Lopez and Ryan Seacrest. Aside from having a cool cast of characters who never feel boring and fit together perfectly, the dialogue is some of the sharpest I’ve heard on a cop show since The Wire and Homicide: Life on the Street (the show isn’t that good, but there are plenty of times when it comes pretty damn close). Lines like “you’re just sweat and friction,” "the truth is in the paperwork" and “he’s a fist with a paycheck” sound completely natural and almost bone-chillingly real coming from the actors’ mouths. The dialogue sounds like it would come from a hard-hitting big city cop. The performers all have their standout moments, especially Ray Liotta as their fearless leader and Drea de Matteo, who erupts during an interrogation scene and leads us to a big unexpected laugh.

So, now there’s only one thing left to cover, and that’s how Jennifer Lopez fares in her new show. I’m pleased to say that we’re treated to Out of Sight Lopez and not crappy rom-com Lopez. Her Harlee is definitely no-nonsense, and she’s tough more than she is sexy or flirty. The writers have wisely chosen to have her bring out her feminine wiles on very specific occasions, and she works just as well in the role as when she’s running down criminals, crying over her daughter’s growing pains, or arguing with her FBI contact. It's largely because of Lopez that the show is hard to stop watching when you have multiple episodes at your disposal (I gleefully burned through four in one night).

Rating:

Shades of Blue premieres Thursday, January 7 at 10 p.m. EST on NBC. You can catch what else the networks have coming up with our midseason TV premiere schedule.

Jennifer Lopez is returning to a regular TV role for the first time since the early 1990s as the lead in NBC’s upcoming crime drama Shades of Blue, and she’s got some big stars joining her in all the corruption. Ray Liotta, Sons of Anarchy’s Drea de Matteo, Graceland’s Vincent Laresca, and The Following’s Warren Kole have all joined the Shades of Blue cast in regular roles. Can NBC handle Liotta’s maniac eyes?

Sounding like a diet version of The Shield, Shades of Blue centers on a close-knit squad of money-mooching corrupt cops who nevertheless take delivering justice seriously. One of the officers is forced to turn coat as a federal informant, which makes things a fiasco for everyone else. Lopez stars as Harlee McCord, who is at a crossroads between keeping her family safe and keeping her brothers in blue safe.

Liotta, who hasn’t been on TV since the 2007 crime drama Smith, will star as Lt. Bill Wozniak, the respect-earning father figure for the group. He’ll do whatever it takes to help his officers, but once he finds out that one of them has flipped, he goes apeshit looking for the betrayer. He’s also set to appear opposite Bill Paxton and Thomas Jane in the western Texas Rising.

De Matteo, who hasn’t stopped being a regular TV face since joining The Sopranos, will play Shirley Nazario, a mother of three whose allegiance to her family comes under fire when her paranoid suspicions start to take over. She may be loud and abrasive, but she’s actually pretty insecure on the inside. The actress is also set to appear in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. later this year.

Laresca, who also starred in CSI: Miami< will play Tony Espada, referred to by THR as the “bulldog and moral compass for his team.” He truly loves his partners, but he’s hiding his romantic love for a married team member. Laresca also appeared in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and will soon be seen in the comedy Hot Pursuit.

Kole, meanwhile, will star on the opposite side of corruption as Robert Staal, an ambition-spewing FBI agent who is determined to earn his place. Unfortunately, his obsession with his informant makes building a case against the other corrupt cops that much more difficult. Kole most recently had a recurring role on CBS’ Stalker.

Written by 3 Days to Kill scribe Adi Hasak, with a pilot directed by Barry Levinson, Shades of Blue will debut its 13-episode first season on NBC later this year.

When it comes to whistleblower movies, Goodfellas may well be one most beloved-- and Ray Liotta’s smarmy, charming Henry Hill is a major reason why. So it’s a sharp move on the part of director Michael Cuesta (Homeland) to cast Liotta in his upcoming whistleblower drama Kill The Messenger.

Like Goodfellas, Kill The Messenger is based on an incredible true story. But far from focusing on mafia men, it centers on journalist Gary Webb. The investigative reporter’s career—for better or worse—was defined by a three-part series called “Dark Alliance” that he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News. In it, Webb revealed some shady dealing by the CIA, linking them to a Nicaraguan drug ring that was selling crack cocaine in Los Angeles. Webb went so far as to assert the Reagan administration was knowingly shielding drug dealers from prosecution to create an in-direct means of funding the Contra movement, a rebel force in Nicaragua. The U.S. government—to put it lightly—wasn’t happy with what Webb found and so created a smear campaign in hopes of discrediting him. It worked, leading Webb to kill himself at age 49.

This tragic tale doesn’t have a typical Hollywood ending, which may be why it’s been toiling away in development for more than eight years. However, Kill The Messenger’s chances at getting made took a major stride in February of this year when Jeremy Renner signed on to produce and star as Webb. Since then, Barry Pepper signed on to play—who else—a bad guy, more specifically federal prosecutor Russell Dodson, who was commanded to keep quiet the CIA’s connection with Nicaraguan drug lords. Next, Marie Elizabeth Winstead committed to play a Webb ally and editor of the San Jose Mercury News, Dawn Garcia. Production on the film began in July, and at that time a press release unveiled Josh Close, Rosemarie DeWitt, Andy Garcia, Lucas Hedges, Tim Blake Nelson, Robert Patrick, Oliver Platt, Martin Sheen, Paz Vega, and Michael Kenneth Williams had also joined the cast. With production in full swing, Deadline reports not only that Liotta has become part of this impressive ensemble, but also that he will play a retired CIA agent who gives Webb key information on this conspiracy.

Though Kill The Messenger is currently in production, there’s been no news on when it might hit theaters, though we can probably expect it sometime next year. In the meantime, Liotta has a serious slate of movies coming up. Five of his films are currently in postproduction including the dark comedy Better Living Through Chemistry with Olivia Wilde and Sam Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez’s ultra-violent crime-thriller Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, and James Bobin’s much-anticipated follow-up to The Muppets, Muppets Most Wanted. Looking at just this trio, it’s clear Liotta’s hit a sweet spot in his career where he can really do just about anything. As proof, here he is playing himself on the sensational cartoon series Phineas and Ferb. Go to the 3 minute mark:

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg hit on something brilliant with their recently-released horror comedy This Is The End: it's awesome to watch movies with actors playing crazy, screwed up versions of themselves. There are plenty of examples of it throughout pop culture history (let's not forget the ridiculously awesome Neil Patrick Harris cameos in the Harold and Kumar trilogy), but Rogen and Goldberg played the gag to perfection in their directorial debut. Thanks to their film's success, we knew it wouldn't be long until another filmmaker seemingly caught a bit of inspiration - and that day has apparently come.

According to The Wrap, both Ray Liotta and David Hasselhoff have boarded the upcoming action comedy Stretch from director Joe Carnahan, and apparently they will both be playing themselves in the movie. What's more, the cast has also added actor Shaun Toub, and the director has announced via Twitter that Iron Man 3's James Badge Dale has come aboard as well.

The film stars Patrick Wilson as Stretch, a down-on-his-luck limo driver with a bit of a gambling problem. When he discovers that he is only one job away from paying off his bookie, he takes a gig escorting a mysterious billionaire (Chris Pine) with some bizarre tastes. As the night progresses, things get weirder and more crazy, as Stretch finds himself stuck with the client from hell. The latest casting report doesn't mention how Liotta, Hasselhoff or Dale will fit into the movie, but notes that Toub will be the "no-nonsense owner of the limo company" that Stretch works for.

The casting process has been going on for months now, with Wilson having signed on to the movie all the way back in November of last year, but the project has really been getting up and running over the last couple months, having also added both Brooklyn Decker and Ed Helms to the lineup. The film is being made with a low budget as a co-production between Universal and Blumhouse and cameras are scheduled to start rolling on Sunday. Universal has already announced that the movie will be coming out on March 21, 2014, a date that puts it in direct competition with both the anticipated young adult novel adaptation Divergent as well as the James Bobin-directed sequel Muppets Most Wanted.

Some of you may remember that Hasselhoff actually just played himself in a movie recently, having starred as a water park lifeguard in the horror movie Piranha 3DD. Feel free to revisit those memories with the trailer below.

After years as a documentarian, daring writer-director Derek Cianfrance broke through in narrative cinema with his compelling and controversial divorce drama Blue Valentine. The film riled the MPAA, won critical praise and earned its female star Michelle Williams her first Oscar nomination for a lead role. It also proved the start to Cianfrance's ongoing collaboration with thinking woman's heartthrob and celebrated leading man Ryan Gosling.

The pair recently reteamed fo The Place Beyond the Pines, a crime drama that stars Gosling as a motorcycle stunt rider who turns to robbing banks to support his girlfriend (Eva Mendes) and newborn son. But this dangerous brand of moonlighting urns him an enemy in a rookie cop with big ambitions (Bradley Cooper). The film's latest poster gave us a glimpse at its leads, but now we've seen plenty more. There's a shot of Romina and Gosling as Luke, cradling his little boy Jason, played by Anthony 'Tony' Pizza Jr. No, that last name is not a typo.

At the top of the article is a photo that reveals some of the fake tattoos Gosling donned for the production. Cianfrance told EW that the actor was eager to cover himself in tats, something he wouldn't do in real life as it might negatively impact his career. Cianfrance details,

Eva Mendes actually pulled double duty as an actress and actual waitress. Cianfrance claims she worked eight-hour shifts at the diner, adding, "I can cast the rest of the diner with real patrons, and suddenly everything is real." Now that's method.

Cianfrance also cast a lot of real-life cops from Schenectady, NY, to fill in the movie's fictional police force that not only included Cooper, but also Ray Liotta. Liotta is an actor Cianfrance says he wanted for the film before the script was even drafted.

The Place Beyond The Pines Opens March 29th.

It's a little hard to remember that Tobey Maguire is now very much a grown-up, though in our defense, he hasn't given us much of a chance to realize that. Since his final go-round as Peter Parker in 2007's Spider-Man 3 Maguire has kept a low profile at the movies, appearing only in the explosive drama Brothers in 2009. But he's about to come back in a major way to play Nick Carraway in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, and before then we'll meet back up with him in the upcoming comedy The Details.

If you want to get a sense of the tone of the movie, which is available On Demand now and will be in theaters November 2, you need only look at the opening shot of this exclusive new TV spot, in which Maguire's character is sitting peacefully… only to be crushed by a falling grand piano. You can see it only gets stranger from there. Take a look:

Maguire is joined by a pretty heavy-hitting cast, with Elizabeth Banks playing his wife, Laura Linney as the crazy cat-lady neighbor he starts an affair with, and Ray Liotta as the pal trying to help him keep his head on straight. The Details premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011, and is now playing right there! In your house! On your TV right now! Technology is a pretty amazing thing.

Ray Liotta might know a thing or two about better living through chemistry, though we doubt that’s what helped him land a gig in Geoff Moore and David Posamentier’s upcoming dramedy.

Deadline reports that the Goodfellas icon has been cast as Olivia Wilde’s husband in the planned feature Better Living Through Chemistry, which will be produced by Occupant Films. Wilde replaced Jennifer Garner in the former Black List script after the Alias star had to bow out because of her recent pregnancy.

Adding Liotta only amps the acting muscle in this impressive cast as Moore and Posamentier, directing from their own script, have already lured Sam Rockwell, Michelle Monaghan and Dame Judi Dench for pivotal roles. The story focuses on a humdrum pharmacist (Rockwell) who enters into a sordid affair with a trophy-wife regular customer (Wilde), sending both of their lives into a debilitating spiral. Better Living reportedly will begin filming in May in hopes of hitting a 2013 release date.

Liotta basically makes every ensemble better and later this year, he’ll shine in three additional features. Audiences will be able to see him opposite Brad Pitt in Andrew Dominik’s crime thriller Killing Me Softly; he’ll co-star with Ryan Gosling in Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond the Pines, the director’s follow-up to Blue Valentine; and he has a part in writer/director Jacob Aaron Estes’ comedy The Details. Most actors would kill to have just one of those roles. Liotta’s primed to slay in all three parts, and Better Living proves he just keeps piling up worthy challenges. It’s a good time to be Ray Liotta … and a Liotta fan, as well.

After the release of the CGI-fueled Rise of the Planet of the Apes there was a wave of Internet buzz that actor/motion-capture artist Andy Serkis deserves an Oscar nomination for breathing an undeniable gravity and soul into the character of Caesar. This computer-animated chimpanzee who was almost human was created in conjunction with Serkis' motion-captured performance, one that was not aided with the use of costumes, yet not hindered by the motion capture dots affixed to his body to register his every move. Yet, as our own Katey Rich pointed out , the Academy is sure to ignore Serkis as a possible Oscar contender just as they did for his work in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, where he played the creepy and cryptic obsessive Gollum. And as Katey predicted, his Oscar buzz has since died as more traditional actors have garnered the spotlight from the Golden Globes and BAFTAs.

Now as the Oscar announcements draw near, leave it to the guys at Funny or Die to remind us of Serkis and his pioneer performance work with a new comedy short called, "The Future of CGI." Here comedians Paul Scheer (The League) and Rob Huebel (The Descendants) display their GCI-specific acting skills, while interviews with blockbuster directors Michael Bay and Jon Favreau explain how these performers are so crucial to the evolution of moviemaking. The ever-cool Ray Liotta is also on board to illustrate the particular skill set these performances require.

While on the surface this short may seem to mock Serkis' work, I think it's actually meant to blow up the misconception and prejudices many have of motion-capture. Obviously it's not enough to take the shape of a creature. For the motion-capture-based animation to prove as affecting as it has in The Lord of the Rings, King Kong, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes there has to be a connection and embodiment of the character one's portraying. If not, you get The Polar Express.

Playing a role in a story based on true events served James Franco well in the past, given the success of 127 Hours, and the praise (and the Oscar nomination) he received for playing the lead role. Whether his part in The Iceman would have been another step forward in his career is unknown and now it seems we’ll never know as the actor has backed out of the part, which may put the whole movie in jeopardy.

The Iceman is (or was set to be) a film based on the book “The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer,” which told the story of mafia hitman Richard “The Iceman” Kuklinski. Along with Franco, the cast included Ray Liotta and Maggie Gyllenhaal. JustJared.com got the exclusive on the news that Franco, who was set to play Kuklinski’s “mentor assassin,” has pulled out of the part due to “key contractual issues.” Their source specifies that money was not the issue, but went on to say, “Now it looks like this project might fall apart.”

If true, it’s disappointing news, not only because it sounds like an interesting project for Franco to be a part of, but any movie that features Ray Liotta as a gangster is fine by me. Hopefully things will get worked out, with or without Franco. As JustJared reports, Franco is in Detroit working with Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, and Michelle Williams in Oz: The Great and Powerful.

Ray Liotta is like a scientist who discovered the cure for cancer but forgot to write down the formula, so he spends the rest of his life trying to recreate it. In 1990, the actor starred in what is widely considered to be one of the greatest gangster films of all time, Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas, but in the nearly 50 films since hasn't found a project even close to the same level of quality. Perhaps the missing part of that equation is working with another terrific director, and here's hoping he has found that in Derek Cianfrance.

Liotta is set to play a corrupt cop (again) in Cianfrance's The Place Beyond The Pines, according to Variety. The film, which is the director's follow-up to last year's incredible Blue Valentine, is about a motorcycle racer - played by Ryan Gosling - who starts robbing banks and goes head-to-head with a young cop - played by Bradley Cooper - who wants to take him down. When I spoke to Cianfrance last December, he told me that the project has been four years in the making and that the film begins with Gosling finding out that he's a father. Initially describing the movie as involving motorcycles and guns, the filmmaker wants to show violence in an unfiltered way and how horrific it can be. Said Cianfrance,

Between the plot lines about a motorist moonlighting as a criminal, Ryan Gosling's involvement, and the promised brutality of the violence, this project is starting to remind me a lot of Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive. While I'd like to say that there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, I truly believe that Cianfrance is a great director and I'd hate to see his next film suffer in the shadows of a different-but-similar project. Given the creative minds at work, there's something in the back of my mind that's telling me I don't need to worry.