Martin Scorsese recalls decision to cast late actor, Ray Liotta in 'Goodfellas'

Ray Liotta has been given a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame, honouring his 50 years of dedication in TV and film.

Speaking with Variety, Martin Scorsese recalled the moment he though Ray Liotta to be the best fit for the role of Henry Hill.

Noting that the two crosses paths ahead of the production of Goodfellas, Scorsese began, "We were thinking about just a few actors to play Henry Hill, and Ray was one of them,” Scorsese told Variety.

Scorsese, 80, continued, "I had one concern. I knew that he could handle a role like the one he had in Something Wild, but here he would have to carry the whole picture. "

The Irishman director added, "He had to look like he could have come out of that world, he had to have a certain innocence, he had to have authority, but most of all he needed charm as a counterweight to the violence and the horrifying behavior."

He admitted, "I loved Ray’s work, we got along very well whenever we met and I knew we could work together. But still… I wondered, And then, something clicked into place."

Recalling an incident at a hotel in Venice, Scorsese shared Liotta "headed toward me to say hello and he was confronted by a phalanx of security. And… he handled it. Perfectly."

"I took a little more time to think about it, but I realize now that I was just going through the motions," he admitted. "That was when I knew he would be Henry Hill."