‘It would imply the world to him’: Ray Liotta’s happy child responds after late star makes a posthumous Emmy election for playing Big Jim Keene in police procedural Black Bird
The Television Academy announced the 2023 Emmy Award nominations on Wednesday, one of which honored the late great Ray Liotta.
Liotta was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or TV Movie for his work in the Apple TV Plus series Black Bird.
He will vie for the award alongside his Black Bird co-star Paul Walter Hauser, Murray Bartlett (Welcome To Chippendales), Richard Jenkins (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story), Joseph Lee (Beef), Young Mazino (Beef) and Jesse Plemons (Love & Death).
His daughter Karsen Liotta said in a statement: ‘I am so grateful to the members of the Television Academy for honoring my Dad with this nomination. He was so incredibly proud of his performance in Black Bird, and it would mean the world to him to be nominated alongside Taron and Paul.’
Liotta previously won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his 2005 portrayal of Charlie Metcalf in ER.
Black Bird ultimately earned four nominations in total, with Taron Egerton earning a nod for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie while Natalie Kingston earned a nod for Outstanding Cinematography For a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Proud moment: Ray Liotta’s proud daughter Karsen said she is ‘so grateful’ her late father earned a posthumous Emmy nomination
Best Supporting Actor: Liotta was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or TV Movie for playing Big Jim Keene in the Apple TV Plus series Black Bird
Black Bird is based on the true story of Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), a criminal facing a 10-year prison sentence, who is offered a unique deal.
He’s approached by the FBI to serve as an informant and get a confession from serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) in an attempt to find the bodies of the 18 women he murdered.
Liotta plays Big Jim Keene, the father of Egerton’s Jimmy Keene in the six-episode limited drama series that debuted last July.
Liotta passed away in his sleep in late May 2022 while filming the movie Dangerous Waters in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic.
An autopsy revealed the cause of death was respiratory insufficiency, pulmonary edema and heart failure, citing Atherosclerosis as an underlying cause.
Egerton opened up about the ‘special bond’ that he formed with Liotta while filming the limited series last July, just two months after he passed away.
‘I developed a very special bond with him… and I actually, I didn’t develop a very special bond with him, it just appeared the moment I met him,’ Egerton said.
‘And it was strange because of that. I couldn’t quite work out why we just clicked in a way that was lovely. I felt very relaxed in his company,’ he added.
Big Jim: Liotta plays Big Jim Keene, the father of Egerton’s Jimmy Keene in the six-episode limited drama series that debuted last July
Passed away: Liotta passed away in his sleep in late May 2022 while filming the movie Dangerous Waters in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic
‘He and I would sit in silence and it’s not often that you get that with somebody. Do you know what I mean? Especially if you’ve only just met them. And I mean it in the nicest way, to sit comfortably in silence with someone is quite a thing,’ he said.
Egerton admitted, ‘I don’t have that with many people, but I had it with Ray and he just brought this level of focus and tenderness and vulnerability to the part that was just gorgeous.’
He added, ‘Because I’m glad you said that you found those scenes affecting or touching, because they are kind of the heart of the show, really.’
‘It’s a very dysfunctional relationship, but it is one that’s full of love. And Ray really brought that. And I absolutely adored working with him. It was one of the more special experiences of my career,’ Egerton stated.
