Movies

Ray Liotta's daughter honors him at posthumous Walk of Fame ceremony: 'Everyone deserves a Ray in their life'

Goodfellas director Martin Scorsese also penned a letter paying tribute to Liotta.

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Published on February 24, 2023 09:04PM EST

Ray Liotta was the man of the hour in Hollywood on Friday.

The late actor, who died last May at 67, was posthumously honored with the 2,749th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The unveiling was attended by Liotta's family, including his 24-year-old daughter Karsen, who accepted the honor on her father's behalf, as well as famous collaborators like Elizabeth Banks, who directed Liotta in one of his final film performances in Cocaine Bear, and Taron Egerton, who recently played Liotta's son in the miniseries Black Bird.

"Thank you so much, Dad, for this rain," Karsen joked on a wet and frigid Los Angeles day before reading a letter from Goodfellas director Martin Scorsese celebrating Liotta's performance in the film and his talents as an actor.

Elizabeth Banks, Karsen Liotta, and Taron Egerton at Ray Liotta's posthumous star ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. David Livingston/Getty Images

Karsen then offered her own tribute, saying, "I'm so touched to be accepting this honor on behalf of my dad. I couldn't be more proud of him. He was a one-of-a-kind actor and the best friend, brother, and father anyone could have asked for. I lucked out with you."

She concluded, "If you have a Ray in your life, you're lucky. I love you so much. Thank you for your work and the imprint you left on me and all of those who love you. Everyone deserves a Ray in their life."

Egerton also spoke, saying that while he didn't know Liotta for long, the time they spent together was "very important to me."

Lupita Sanchez Cornejo, Elizabeth Banks, Karsen Liotta, and Taron Egerton at Ray Liotta's posthumous star ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. David Livingston/Getty Images

"When I first met Ray, I was, frankly, a bit scared of him," he said, adding that one thing "that made him so extraordinary to watch was his unparalleled capacity for vulnerability and tenderness. It was this side of himself he first showed me when I stepped on the set of Black Bird to play his son two years ago."

Egerton called his Black Bird scenes the "best acting of my career," and credited Liotta for that achievement. "He was that kind of rare artist that brought all of himself into his work, all of his intensity, all of his vulnerability and, in the case of our show, all of his love," he said. "I was deeply inspired by Ray, he was the epitome of an actor's actor… And most importantly, he made everyone around him better."

Banks said she shared a special bond with Liotta from the time they worked together on the 2011 film The Details. "I always admired his acting, but I genuinely enjoyed him as a human," she said. "Although he's known for playing tough guys, I found him to be charming and a little mischievous, which made him interesting as both an actor and a man, and truly perfect for Cocaine Bear."

She added, "When any actor of Ray's caliber puts trust in you as a director, it's a gift. But Ray gave me so much more… Ray's respect for me as a director, as his boss on set, meant everything to me, because if you can direct Henry Hill, you can do f---ing anything in this town. I am very grateful Ray Liotta blessed my life, because I will carry the confidence he gave me forever."

Cocaine Bear is in theaters now. Watch Liotta's Walk of Fame ceremony above.

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