So good was Pesci that he even eclipsed De Niro in critical plaudits and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. But it was his portrayal of an uncontrollably violent mobster rising up the ranks in Scorsese's brilliant crime saga, 'Goodfellas' (1990) that it became his defining role.

Though he settled into a few rather forgettable roles following his initial triumph, Pesci re-emerged later in the decade with several unforgettable performances, starting with his comic turn as mob accountant-turned-state's witness Leo Getz in 'Lethal Weapon 2' (1989), a role he reprised for the third and fourth installments to the franchise. The film marked the first of several successful collaborations between Pesci, De Niro and Scorsese over the years. After years of struggling as a professional musician and comedy performer, actor Joe Pesci was vaulted into the limelight thanks to his Academy Award-nominated performance in director Martin Scorsese's 'Raging Bull' (1980), starring Oscar-winner Robert De Niro.

Joe pesci raging bull