The Only Major Actors Still Alive From Raging Bull
"Raging Bull" knocked audiences flat on their backs when it premiered over four decades ago. The boxing biography, which is still considered among director Martin Scorsese's best films, unfolds as a rags-to-riches-to-rags story about a brutal middleweight fighter whose personal life never quite matches up to his success in the ring. Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Cathy Moriarty headlined the film's wildly talented ensemble, while late "Cheers" star Tommy Como played a local mobster and actress Theresa Saldana, who passed away in 2016, played protagonist Jake's second wife Lenora.
While time has taken some of these talented actors away from us, and the real Jake LaMotta died in 2017, each member of the "Raging Bull" core trio is still acting today. To present a "where are they now" about an actor as famous and prolific as De Niro would be silly, but if you're looking for another great De Niro performance to wash "Raging Bull" down with, or want to know where else you've seen Moriarty, we've got you covered. Here's what the cast of "Raging Bull" has been up to since working on the 1980 film.
Robert De Niro, Jake LaMotta
It's a testament to Robert De Niro's abilities that his turn in "Raging Bull," which for many would've been the role of a lifetime, now feels like one good pit stop in a decades-long career that's still got gas in the tank. De Niro won an Oscar for his turn as real-life boxer Jake LaMotta, though it wasn't his first: that came six years earlier, for "The Godfather Part II." Now, the actor is back in the Oscar race yet again, this time for his turn as sinister crime boss William Hale in Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon."
In the years between his "Raging Bull" win and current nomination, De Niro continued establishing himself as a stunningly talented presence in Hollywood. "Joker, "Goodfellas," "The Irishman," and "Silver Linings Playbook" are just a small handful of the more than 100 roles he's taken on since his career began. Along with two Oscars and several additional Oscar and Emmy nominations, the actor has also received Kennedy Center Honors, an American Film Institute lifetime achievement award, and countless other accolades. The actor also dabbled in directing, helming the movies "A Bronx Tale" and "The Good Shepherd."
De Niro's personal life has been just as fascinating as his work in film and TV. Off screen, he's perhaps currently best-known for his blunt criticisms of Donald Trump and his ever-growing family (now 80 years old, he just welcomed another child). As a businessman, he co-founded the Tribeca Film Festival as well as the famed restaurant group Nobu. Despite his contributions to film history, the actor's reputation isn't bulletproof: in 2023, De Niro's production company was ordered to pay over a million dollars to the actor's former assistant, who alleged she experienced gender discrimination and retaliation when working with him.
Joe Pesci, Joey LaMotta
In "Raging Bull," industry great Joe Pesci plays Jake LaMotta's brother, Joey. Though the actor earned his first Oscar nod for the role, he didn't win the trophy until 1991, when he, De Niro, and Scorsese once again took over the zeitgeist with "Goodfellas." The actor would go on to work with the filmmaker behind some of the best gangster movies of all time again, appearing in "The Irishman" and "Casino," but Pesci excelled just as well with comedies as dramas. A whole generation likely recognizes the actor most as one half of the bumbling criminal duo in the "Home Alone" movies, but he's just as great in the 1992 classic "My Cousin Vinny."
Other key Pesci roles include his turns in Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America," Oliver Stone's "JFK," the "Lethal Weapons" franchise, and both of De Niro's directorial efforts. Pesci, who also makes music, mostly retired from acting in 1999 and has only appeared in a total of six film and TV projects in the years since. His latest film role came in 2023, when he appeared in Jack Huston's directorial debut "Day of the Fight."
Pesci also recently made a rare foray into the TV landscape for Pete Davidson's underrated comedy series "Bupkis," in which he plays fictional Pete's uncle Joe. The Peacock series didn't make a huge splash when it premiered last year — perhaps because it's on Peacock — but Pesci is excellent in scenes with Davidson and "The Sopranos" alum Edie Falco (though, fair warning, episode one is the worst of the bunch).
Cathy Moriarty, Vickie LaMotta
One of the toughest roles in "Raging Bull" was embodied perfectly by actress Cathy Moriarty. The actress made her on-screen debut in the film, playing Jake's wife Vickie, who endured unthinkable abuse before leaving him after over a decade of marriage. Moriarty may have started with "Raging Bull," but it's far from the only time she's made a major impression on screen. Since 1980, the actress has appeared in over 70 film and television roles, carving out space across multiple genres.
Some of Moriarty's best-known roles include a turn as conversion camp director Mary in "But I'm A Cheerleader," a villainous appearance in "Casper," and a supporting role in Ivan Reitman's "Kindergarten Cop." Moriarty has voice acted in shows like "Recess" and "Hey Arnold," plus films like "Lady and the Tramp 2." Most recently, you can spot her in guest stints in the shows "Nightbirds" and "Great Kills," though she also has a number of projects in the works per IMDb.
In 2008, the Southampton Press reported that Moriarty was the spokesperson of the organization Autism United. At the time, she told the outlet, "Everybody —whether it's a child with autism, a survivor of trauma or abuse, or someone living with a physical disability—has something to offer and deserves a chance." The same profile explains that Moriarty left her acting career for five years in the '80s after breaking her back in a car accident. In 2008, Moriarty was also working as a teacher for Bay Street Theatre's Young Playwrights Program, though it's unclear which nonprofits and arts groups she's still associated with today.