Ray Liotta’s connection to his daughter, Karsen Liotta, went beyond the screen.
Born in December 1998, Karsen is the only child of Ray and actress Michelle Grace, who were married from 1997 to 2004. From a young age, Karsen shared a love of acting with her dad, starring alongside Ray in Shades of Blue with Jennifer Lopez when she was 18 years old.
Ray was best known for his iconic roles in Goodfellas and Field of Dreams before his death at age 67 on May 26, 2022, due to heart and respiratory issues.
He often spoke of Karsen with pride, posting a picture of the two on Facebook in January 2017. “I’m very proud of her,” he captioned it. “Our jobs as parents aside from loving them to death is to get them ready to go out in the world with confidence. I can say I succeeded.”
Karsen opened up about her dad at the August 2024 premiere of his final film, 1992. “He was the best, the most trustworthy, ride or die, always had my back, no matter what, most loyal, funniest, most kind-hearted person,” she told PEOPLE.
Today, she continues to act, including on the Apple TV+ show Smoke. Karsen also recently celebrated her engagement to fellow actor Justin Dwayne Hall in October 2024.
Here’s everything to know about Ray Liotta’s daughter, Karsen Liotta.
She started acting early on in life
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Ray Liotta as Lt. Matt Wozniak and Karsen Liotta as Anna Kate Wozniak in ‘Shades of Blue’.
Karsen began acting as an infant, starring in the 2000 drama A Rumor of Angels alongside her parents.
During a May 2017 interview on the Today show, Ray revealed that he and Karsen bonded over the craft. “When she was little, that’s all we did was play,” he recalled. “That’s all she was into, was make-believe.”
In 2016, she expanded her acting career with the short horror film Prettyface, featuring Patrick Schwarzenegger and Annalise Basso. That same year, she joined the cast of Shades of Blue.
Karsen shared the spotlight with her dad on one of his final projects, Apple TV+’s Black Bird in 2022.
She watched Goodfellas with Ray at age 11
Karsen Liotta/Instagram
Ray Liotta and his daughter Karsen.
In July 2016, Ray told Absolute Radio about the first time his daughter watched one of his films. According to the actor, he briefly introduced his Oscar award-winning film, Goodfellas, at the Aruba Film Festival and while he intended to leave after the introduction, Karsen insisted they stay and watch the movie.
“I sat down and watched it with my 11-year-old daughter, and it was just such a trip for her,” Ray said. “She was blown out by it.”
He described Karsen’s admiration for the renowned project. “After I asked her, ‘So, what did you think?’ and she said, ‘Dad, that’s the best movie ever made, isn’t it?’ ” he recalled. “It was really sweet.”
She has modeled for Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana
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Karsen Liotta and Ray Liotta during the 63rd BFI London Film Festival on October 06, 2019 in London, England.
In addition to acting, Karsen developed an interest in modeling.
Chanel featured Karsen as a model in their December 2016 Métiers d’art show, where she debuted on the runway alongside Lily-Rose Depp and Sofia Richie. Karsen posted about the experience on Instagram.
“What an absolute dream walking for @chanelofficial! Thank you so much @karllagerfeld and the entire Chanel team for such an incredible time❣️,” she wrote in the caption.
Karsen went on to walk for Dolce & Gabbana in February 2017. “Thank you so much @dolcegabbana for having me! Such an incredibly beautiful collection,” she penned on Instagram afterward.
She introduced Ray to his fiancée Jacy
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Ray Liotta and Jacy Nittolo attend the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards on February 8, 2020 in Santa Monica, California ; Karsen Liotta and Jacy Nittolo at the premiere of “Black Bird” on June 29, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Ray announced in December 2020 that he had proposed to his girlfriend, Jacy Nittolo.
“Christmas wishes do come true. I asked the love of my life to marry me, and thank God she said yes!!!” he wrote on Instagram.
Ray later revealed that he met Nittolo through his daughter. During a September 2021 appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan, the actor explained that Karsen first crossed paths with Nittolo at a party and brought up the idea of setting her up with the actor.
“Karsen met Jacy [Nittolo] and said, ‘I want you to go out with my dad. You’d be perfect for my dad,’ ” Ray said.
Ray and Nittolo went on to date and were together until his sudden death in May 2022.
Karsen unveiled Ray’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
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Karsen Liotta attends the ceremony where Ray Liotta is posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 24, 2023 in Hollywood, California.
In February 2023, Karsen accepted her father’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Karsen joined her father’s costars Elizabeth Banks and Taron Egerton to give a speech in Ray’s memory.
“I’m so touched to be receiving this honor on behalf of my dad, I couldn’t be more proud of him,” Karsen said. “He was a one of a kind actor, and the best friend, brother, and father anyone could ask for. … Everyone deserves a Ray in their life.”
She celebrated an Emmy nomination on her late dad’s behalf
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Karsen Liotta attends the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on January 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
In July 2023, the Emmys posthumously nominated Ray for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role as Big Jim Keene in Black Bird.
The Apple TV+ limited series centered on the real life of the serial killer, Larry Hall. Karsen also acted in the show as Audrey Hansen and attended the Emmys to represent her dad.
She shared her gratitude on Instagram afterward. “Thank you to the Academy for acknowledging my Dad with a ‘Best Supporting Actor’ nomination. It was beautiful to attend The Emmys on his behalf.”
Karsen continued, “He would have been so incredibly proud for being honored for his powerful work in ‘Black Bird.’ … Cheers to the greatest Dad.”
She was at the premiere of Ray’s final film
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Ray Liotta and Karsen Liotta at the launch of Jennifer Lopez’s residency on January 20, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Karsen attended the August 2024 premiere of Ray’s final film, 1992. In the movie, Ray portrays a father trying to reconnect with his son amidst the civil unrest in response to the Rodney King verdict.
“It’s a huge piece of history that … he was very honored to be able to learn more about it and be a part of it … and just was eager to … jump in and do what he did best,” she told PEOPLE.
The following month, at a related premiere event, Karsen told Entertainment Tonight what she misses most about her dad.
“His laugh, our talks, just hanging out by ourselves like we always did, sitting on the couch. Just being with him,” she shared. “To be here, to honor him and respect him, it’s bittersweet, but I feel very honored and I feel very grateful.”
She got engaged in October 2024
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Karsen Liotta and Ray Liotta at the “Marriage Story” premiere on November 10, 2019 in New York City.
Karsen is engaged to fellow actor Justin, who proposed in October 2024.
The two celebrated in a series of pictures shared on Instagram, showing Karsen in a strapless white gown and Hall in a classic black suit.
They appeared in their first Instagram post together for New York City Fashion Week in September 2023, and traveled to Turks and Caicos together in March 2024.
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