Featured Image Credit: Rockstar Games/Warner Bros
Topics: Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games has led tributes from the games industry to Hollywood icon Ray Liotta, following the tragic news of his passing.
The actor, best known for his role as mobster Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's seminal gangster film Goodfellas, died in his sleep yesterday in the Dominican Republic at the age of 67. The cause of death remains unknown.
Liotta cut a varied career through Hollywood, appearing in everything from Field Of Dreams to Bee Movie, and most recently The Sopranos prequel The Many Saints Of Newark. But gamers are likely to know him best as the voice and inspiration for Tommy Vercetti, the protagonist of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
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While Vercetti only ever appeared in the one game, Liotta's powerful performance ensured that he remained at the forefront of fans' minds in any discussion about the best GTA protagonists. Despite not having the best technology at the time to convey believable-looking humans, Liotta's unmistakable voice and intense charisma elevated Vercetti and Vice City to heights other games of the era could only dream of.
Over on Twitter, Rockstar Games mourned the loss of the "legendary" and "iconic" actor.
Outside of video games, Liotta's friends and colleagues from across Hollywood have paid tribute to Liotta's enormous talent.
"He was so uniquely gifted, so adventurous, so courageous as an actor," Scorsese said in a statement.
"Playing Henry Hill in Goodfellas was a tall order, because the character had so many different facets, so many complicated layers, and Ray was in almost every scene of a long, tough shoot. He absolutely amazed me, and I'll always be proud of the work we did together on that picture."
Robert De Niro, who starred alongside Liotta in Goodfellas, added: "I was very saddened to learn of Ray's passing. He is way too way young to have left us."
"I can be anywhere in the world and people will come up and tell me their favourite movie is Goodfellas," tweeted Lorraine Bracco, who played Liotta's wife in the movie. "Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same…Ray Liotta."