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:
My life these past couple of years have been nothing but truly magical. Ray and I share a deep love that I will cherish in my heart forever. We laughed daily and we were inseparable.
The chemistry was wild in the best way. He was everything in the world to me and we couldn’t get enough of each other. The kind of real love that one dreams of. He was the most beautiful person inside and out that I’ve ever known…and even that is an understatement.
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.