Dennis Lehan in “Dream of a Lifetime” with Ray Liotta to work on Apple’s next “Black Bird”

One of Ray Liotta’s last full roles was before his death. Black birdApple TV+ limited series, scheduled to premiere in July.

Liota plays a character named Big Jim Keene in the series; Keane is a Chicago police officer whose son (Taron Egerton) was convicted of a felony and given a choice: serve a full 10 years in a minimum security prison or enter a maximum security facility and confess that he is a serial killer. Played by Paul Walter Hauser). It is based on a true story as told in the book. With the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Redemption Deal By James Keane and Hillel Levine.

Series creator and executive producer Dennis Lehan (mystical riverhbo a stranger) says he wrote a part of Big Jim with Liota in mind and was “humiliated, admired with respect, admired with a punch” when the actor said yes.

Below, Lehan pays tribute to Liota.

In fact, it was the culmination of a lifelong dream of working with Ray Liotta. From the moment I watched the screen, its constellations, and the theater backgrounds explode into something wild, I knew him as the most electric American actor of his generation. At the heart of Ray Liotta’s game was a duality he couldn’t fully control; I doubt he was aware. Instead, he felt something was locked into his DNA. When his character was menacing and dangerous, she still couldn’t hide the sweetness inside her. When the character was charming, even endearing, you could still feel something unstable swirling underneath.

I wrote the great Jim Keane part for the flight to Black Bird. I had no other actor in mind, and I was honored, revered and in awe when he played the role less than 24 hours after the script was submitted. And his performance? It was a master class. He fully embodies a man who realizes that in his life, while taking shortcuts and swimming around the edges of corruption, the albatross hanging from his own son’s neck are very vague options. But no matter how deeply flawed and compromised the character may be, Ray found generosity in a man who ran into the same boy’s burning building and never left his footsteps. It was this duality that got me into the emotional heart of our show from start to finish.

Ray came to start work. He expected those he worked with to be trained, professional and take their jobs as seriously as he did. I loved him. One day we have a dinner scene where Big Jim has a stroke. And the stage takes some time in the lighting and setting process and there are a few others that are less than ideal. And Ray gets more and more angry.

Finally, my assistant called me, “King, you need me now.”

I go in there and Ray is bustling at the door to the dining room. He’s beside me, the whole crew is breathing now, all the eggs in their shells, and Ray says, “What do you mean sad?”

I say what?”

He says, “In the script. He says I smile sadly. ”

I think and say, “It means ‘with irony or mild remorse.’

And Ray Webster quotes me. “What not. The definition is sadly” sad, sad, sinful. “There’s nothing soft about it, power.

I say, “You’re right.”

And he says, “So why did you write it?”

150 people stopped working to hear my answer.

So I say, ‘I don’t know, Ray, that was nine months ago. Cruelly forget. How do you feel on stage?

He says, “I feel a little irritated.”

I say, “Okay then. Play it. ”

He says, “Thank you.” start to go

Everyone is looking at me again. So I call Ray: “I’ll tell you something, Ray: I’m sorry about the day I wrote that ugly line.” The entire crew seemed to swallow the pup in one go.

Ray looks at me with clear threat. And soon …

Იs laughs. Great loud voice, Ray Liota Gufau. And everyone is breathing again. And laugh with him. And then we all got back to work.

I will keep this memory for the rest of my life. And I always regret the day he left us.