Golden Globe Winner Paul Walter Hauser Has Audience Stand For Tribute To Ray Liotta

Hauser gave a galvanizing salute to Liotta, whose final TV role before his death in May was in the Apple TV+ series "Black Bird."
Hauser played suspected serial killer Larry Hall in the Apple TV+ series "Black Bird."
Hauser played suspected serial killer Larry Hall in the Apple TV+ series "Black Bird."
Rich Polk/NBC via Getty Images

Actor Paul Walter Hauser used his Golden Globe acceptance speech on Tuesday night for a rousing tribute to his “Black Bird” co-star Ray Liotta that had the audience on its feet.

Hauser, who won Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, took the Beverly Hilton Hotel stage and thanked “the cast, Greg Kinnear, Sepideh Moafi, Joe Williamson, Jake McLaughlin” before passionately lauding “Ray Li-freaking-otta. Ray Li — get up! Come on! Ray Liotta! Ray, Liotta, baby!”

Hauser’s fellow actors responded with cheers, whistles and applause to honor Liotta, who died in his sleep at age 67 in the Dominican Republic in May. Liotta also was famed for roles in “Field of Dreams” and Goodfellas.”

“Black Bird” is based on the story of James “Jimmy” Keene, played by Taron Egerton in the series. The real-life Keene was serving a drug-related prison sentence when the FBI asked him to go undercover to elicit a confession from fellow inmate Larry D. Hall (played by Hauser) — a suspected serial killer — in exchange for a commuted sentence.

Egerton, who played Liotta’s son in the Apple TV+ crime drama, curiously wasn’t mentioned in Hauser’s rousing speech. The actor, who won a Globe himself in 2020 for the Elton John biopic “Rocket Man,” was nonetheless seen in the audience, clapping at Liotta’s mention.

Hauser concluded his speech with a “shoutout to my brother and my king, Jesus Christ,” and inscrutably telling his manager Brian Walsh to “get the tables.”

Language in this article has been updated to clarify details of Keene’s story.

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