Averse to celebrity life and the media spotlight, audiences would long for the actor's return to the big screen. Once he announced his retirement in 1999, Pesci was rarely seen, only appearing in a cameo in The Good Shepherd, a film directed by Robert De Niro, and Love Ranch, a 2010 dramedy starring Helen Mirren. Pesci was a consistent workforce in the '90s, reuniting with Scorsese again in Casino, and giving a maximalist performance as David Ferrie in Oliver Stone's controversial feverish conspiracy thriller, JFK. Out of nowhere, this 5'3 supporting actor destined to play mobsters throughout his entire career became a bankable comedic and romantic lead-a four-quadrant star loved by all ages and demographics. He is seamless as Vincent Gambini, a fish-out-of-water Yankee lawyer transported to the deep south to defend his cousin wrongfully accused of murder. Pesci's stardom 'heat check' came in 1992 when he was the lead star vehicle of the comedy My Cousin Vinny.

He also became a mainstay in the Lethal Weapon franchise, playing the comic sidekick to Riggs and Murtaugh, Leo Getz. In addition, he carved out a new corner of his career in his turn toward comedies, starring as Harry, one-half of the Wet Bandits in Home Alone in the same year.

He won an Academy Award for playing the iconic, ruthlessly hilarious, and vicious mobster Tommy Devito in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas. Pesci's career soared to excellence in the '90s, kicked off by a groundbreaking 1990 for the actor.

Joe pesci quotes in the movie casino