Robert De Niro Talks Ray Liotta's Tragic Passing: 'Very Sad'

The legendary Ray Liotta sadly passed on in his sleep on Thursday, May 26, in the Dominican Republic while filming "Dangerous Waters."

Many were blown by his unexpected demise, including Robert De Niro, the highly regarded director who starred with Liotta on "Goodfellas." 

Speaking on the "Today" show, De Niro discussed the upcoming Tribeca Festival and weighed in on his former co-star's devastating death, expressing his sadness at the sudden loss.

The 78-year-old admitted that although he did not know Liotta too well after filming "Goodfellas," he knew the deceased movie star was a "wonderful" performer as he enjoyed watching his productions.

He added that he was sad about the death as he believed the "Field of Dreams" star was too young to kick the bucket.

Last month, De Niro expressed the exact saddening words in a statement; he said, "I was very saddened to learn of Ray's passing. He is way too young to have left us. May he rest in peace."

Not only did the "Mean Streets" star speak on Liotta's death, but "Goodfellas" director Martin Scorsese also opened up about the loss, revealing that he wished he had worked with Liotta after the mafia film.

Scorsese seemed to have had plans with the late actor to work on projects together, but different circumstances prevented them from proceeding, which the 78-year-old director regretted.

The Blast shared that the veteran filmmaker penned a heartfelt tribute to Liotta, recounting his association with the departed 67-year-old on "Goodfellas" and noting his incredible work principle on set.

He also spoke on how the "Something Wild" star convinced producer Irwin Winkler that he was the right performer to play the lead role of Henry Hill in the gangster-based production.

Scorsese further mentioned that Liotta never wavered during filming even though he was "the new guy" as he was the "fearless" type.

He explained, "The word 'fearless' is used quite often to describe actors, and with good reason: actors need to be fearless. They have to jump in and just go, and they have to stumble and fall and risk appearing ridiculous as they're finding their way into a role."

The old-timer added that while on set, the cast usually improvised in most scenes, and a majority of the castmates had known each other and partnered for years.

He also noted that despite being a newbie on the set, Liotta was always up to the tasks, and it felt like they had worked together for years.

Speaking of the movie "Goodfellas," it was based on the nonfiction book "Wiseguy" by Nicholas Pileggi, telling the story of Henry Hill Jr. riding through the mob ranks with his pals, Jimmy and Tommy.

Liotta played Hill's character while De Niro acted as Jimmy and Joe Pesci performed the role of Tommy. The lead role gained the late movie star much fame despite the movie winning only one Oscar.

He eventually became a legend in the crime genre as he appeared in more films of that category following his feature in "Goodfellas."

His prowess in the crime genre did not stop him from showing his versatility as a performer, as he starred in a couple of sitcoms of different genres and did remarkably well.

Liotta will surely be missed by many, including his bereaved fiancée Jacy Nittolo who tributed him with throwback photos on social media showing the beautiful moments they spent together.

The Blast reported that the adorable couple could not get enough of each other, and several snaps showed the "Marriage Story" actor showering his sweetheart with kisses on her face.

Nittolo accompanied the photos with a heartfelt message honoring the love she shared with her deceased partner and proclaiming her eternal affection for him. In her words:

"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."

She added, "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. "

Nittolo was honored to have met Liotta, who she described as "the most beautiful person inside and out" that she had ever known.