Thanks to an absolutely fascinating article by GQ, we've uncovered some truths about the casting of one of Martin Scorsese's most beloved films, Goodfellas. There's no question that Goodfellas is one of those '90s movies that everybody needs to watch at least once. It's just that important to cinema. The movie is straight-up famous. But the behind-the-scenes stories of the making of Goodfellas are almost as famous the film itself. This includes how Joe Pesci brought a real-life character to life as well as how Ray Liotta used his authentic pain to make one of the movie's most iconic scenes. But none of these moments would have happened if it weren't for the stellar casting. Let's take a look at how Martin Scorsese and his team brought the characters of this movie to life.

Ray Liotta Was One Of The Only Actors Discussed For Henry Hill... But He Had To Work For It

While Tom Cruise was discussed as a possible actor to play the real-life Henry Hill, Maritn Scorsese was particularly partial to Ray Liotta.

"I'd seen Ray in Something Wild, Jonathan Demme's film; I really liked him," Martin Scorsese told GQ. "And then I met him. I was walking across the lobby of the hotel on the Lido that houses the Venice Film Festival, and I was there with The Last Temptation of Christ. I had a lot of bodyguards around me. Ray approached me in the lobby and the bodyguards moved toward him, and he had an interesting way of reacting, which was he held his ground, but made them understand he was no threat. I liked his behavior at that moment, and I saw, Oh, he understands that kind of situation. That's something you wouldn't have to explain to him."

Even though Ray was Martin's first choice, the process of getting him cast was lengthy.

"I think I was the first person that Marty met, but it took maybe a year," Ray Liotta said. "It was a very, very long process, not knowing anything and really wanting to do this. I was new. I'd only done three movies at the time. All I heard was that the studio wanted somebody else—'What about this?' 'What about Eddie Murphy?'".

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Regardless of what the movie studio was saying, Ray was Martin's first choice and he did his best to convince them. However, it was Ray himself who ultimately solidified his position in Goodfellas.

"Me and my wife were having dinner one night in a restaurant down in Venice, California, and lo and behold, Ray Liotta came over to me," Goodfellas producer Irwin Winkler explained. "He was in the same restaurant, quite by coincidence, and he asked if he could come talk to me."

Ray basically just went up to Irwin and told him that he wanted to be in the movie. It was the type of courage and energy the filmmakers wanted from the Henry Hill character.

"We went outside, he said, 'Look, I know you don't want me for it but I…,' and he really sold me on the role right that evening," Irwin continued. "I called Marty the next morning and I said, 'I see what you mean.'"

When Ray found out that he got the role in the Martin Scorsese movie he broke down in tears. His mother was really sick at the time and he needed this moment.

Related: Francis Ford Coppola Agrees With Martin Scorsese, Says Marvel Films Are 'Despicable'

Finding Henry Hill's Wife

Future Sopranos star Lorraine Bracco was ultimately the one they chose to play Henry Hill's wife, Karen. But it was actually Madonna who was being considered first; although not necessarily by Martin Scorsese.

"One of the things that worked for me with Marty was I was brought up in a Jewish neighborhood. So I could relate to Karen Hill as a young girl," Lorraine Bracco said. "Like, I got it: She lives in a Jewish home dominated by the mother—to me, it was all rebellion. Marty wanted to see what Ray and I looked like together."

Ray and Lorraine ended up meeting at Martin Scorsese's apartment in New York for a chemistry read.

"I thought Ray was really good-looking and very sexy," Lorraine continued "We all had a drink and we talked about the script and the book and blah blah blah and that was that."

A Big Actor And A Bunch of Mob Guys

Perhaps one of the most interesting elements about the casting of Goodfellas is that actual mob guys were used in the movie. Notices were posted and the word was spread within the mob community about the movie and how they were invited to take part in it. Most of the responses they got were from ex-mob members who had just gotten out of prison.

"We were told I could consider some of them for the film, but others were a little too hot to be considered: 'That guy can't be in front of a camera.' It was actually the least likely-looking guys," casting director Ellen Lewis said.

Finally, a lot of discussions were had about which actors should play the Jimmy Conway part. In fact, they had offered it to another major actor (John Malkovich) and he turned it down before it ultimately went to the legendary Robert De Niro.

"I was reading the book, and I called Marty," Robert De Niro said. "We always thought I was too old to play Ray's part, but I said, 'What about Jimmy the Gent?' Marty said, 'Yeah, great!'"

Sometimes things just come together that easily...

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