Robert DeNiro
One of the most prolific and greatest actors in America cinema, Robert De Niro is celebrated for his fruitful actor-director collaboration with Martin Scorsese, comprising the films Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), New York, New York (1977), Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1982), Goodfellas (1990), Cape Fear (1991), and Casino (1995). Known for often playing troubled, enigmatic antiheroes—and rigorously preparing for his roles—De Niro won his first Oscar for his performance as a young Vito Corleone in The Godfather: Part II (1974). He won his second Academy Award for his lead performance in Raging Bull, and he has received five other nominations for Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter (1978), Awakenings (1990), Cape Fear, and Silver Linings Playbook (2013). Recently, De Niro co-founded the film studio TriBeCa Productions (and the Tribeca Film Festival) and won an Emmy for playing Bernie Madoff in the HBO limited series, The Wizard of Lies (2017).
De Niro was the guiding force behind Raging Bull actually getting made; he brought LaMotta’s autobiography to the attention of Scorsese long before the film’s production. To convincingly embody LaMotta both in his prime and retirement, De Niro underwent numerous physical transformations during the film’s principal production—most notably, he gained over 60 pounds for his scenes as the older, heftier LaMotta. The gruesome commitment De Niro thrust into the role certainly played off; his performance not only elevated him to legendary status, but it is widely considered to be one of the finest performances in Hollywood history.
Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci was about to quit his middling acting career when he was cast as Joey, Jake LaMotta’s long-suffering, pugnacious, and hilarious brother. Pesci’s performance, which garnered him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, catalyzed his career and made him a household name. He later starred in Once Upon a Time in America (1984, co-starring De Niro), The Good Shepherd (2006, co-starring and directed by De Niro), the Lethal Weapon franchise, My Cousin Vinny (1992), and Home Alone (1990)—in most of these films, Pesci plays a short-tempered criminal. He also reunited with Scorsese (and De Niro) in Goodfellas and Casino, winning an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the former.
Cathy Moriarty
At the age of 19, Moriarty made her film debut in Raging Bull after Pesci recommended her to Scorsese and De Niro. The blonde, husky-voiced newcomer stunned many with her ability to hold her own against De Niro at the peak of his career, and Moriarty joined De Niro and Pesci in receiving an Academy Award nomination for her performance. Moriarty’s career spans over three decades, comprising of Neighbors (1981), White of the Eye (1987), Soapdish (1991), Casper (1995), Analyze That (2002, co-starring De Niro), and The Bounty Hunter (2010).
Frank Vincent
Joe Pesci encouraged his friend and co-star Frank Vincent to audition for the role of Salvy. Vincent’s performance in Raging Bull was the first of a series of collaborations with Martin Scorsese; he also plays mobsters in Goodfellas and Casino. Vincent had a prolific career, with highlights including Do the Right Thing (1989), Jungle Fever (1991), and the TV show The Sopranos (2004-2007).
Nicholas Colasanto
By the time Colasanto appeared as the soft-spoken but strangely menacing Tommy Como, he had already been acting in Hollywood for more than two decades, as well as directing episodes of TV classics ranging from Columbo (1971) to Logan’s Run (1977). After appearing in Raging Bull, Colasanto achieved much recognition—including three Emmy nominations—for his performance as the beloved Coach in the first three seasons of Cheers (1982-1985).
Theresa Saldana
In Raging Bull, Theresa Saldana plays the minor role of Lenore LaMotta, Joey’s wife and Jake’s sister-in-law. In 1982, Saldana was brutally attacked by a mentally unstable stalker who developed a fixation with her after watching Raging Bull and Defiance (1980). After the attack, Saldana founded the Victims for Victims advocacy organization, which helped passed several pieces of legislation aimed at reducing the ability of stalkers to gain personal information of others.
