Joe Pesci plays Joey LaMotta, Jake LaMotta’s brother, in Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull.
The film dramatizes the turbulent life of real-life middleweight boxer Jake LaMotta, played by Robert De Niro. Joey functions as Jake’s brother, manager, and occasional voice of caution, although their relationship becomes increasingly strained by Jake’s jealousy and volatility.
Raging Bull was released in 1980 and marked Pesci’s first major film role. His performance brought him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Pesci later reunited with Scorsese and De Niro in Goodfellas and Casino.
A common mix-up is confusing Joey LaMotta with Tommy DeVito, Pesci’s character in Goodfellas. Joey was a real person connected to LaMotta’s boxing career, while Tommy is a fictionalized gangster character inspired partly by real criminal figures.