How One Role Made Joe Pesci Gain 30 Pounds and File a Multi-Million Lawsuit

The 2018 movie Gotti is famous, but not for good reasons. Critics tore it apart, and fans still talk about how badly it failed. But the trouble for the film started long before it ever hit theaters.

Originally, Gotti looked like it could be a big hit. The movie had plans to bring together some of the biggest names in mob films. Joe Pesci, known for his roles in Goodfellas and Casino, was set to play Angelo Ruggiero, a key enforcer in the Gambino family.

At one point, Al Pacino was even attached to play John Gotti. If it had worked out, it would have been the first time Pesci and Pacino were on screen together, a team-up fans had wanted for decades.

But things quickly went south. Financial and creative disagreements started piling up. Pesci thought his deal was secure after a big press conference at Cannes, but soon he learned that the production company, Fiore Films, had cut his screen time and slashed his pay.

Pesci, who had already gained 30 pounds to fit the role, was furious. He ended up suing the producers for $3 million, saying he had been tricked and lied to after turning down other jobs to commit to Gotti. The producers, on the other hand, claimed they never made him a formal offer.

Industry insiders, however, suspected they just wanted to use Pesci’s name to get investors. Other actors, like Ben Foster and Lindsay Lohan, also left the project, and by the time the movie was finally released with John Travolta in the lead, it couldn’t shake its bad reputation.

The marketing team even tried fighting back by attacking critics online, which only made things worse. Pesci ended up moving on, and that turned out to be a smart choice. He returned to bigger and better work, starring alongside Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in The Irishman in 2019, a movie that earned him his third Academy Award nomination.

Since then, the 83-year-old actor has been very careful about which projects he chooses. In 2023, he appeared in the comedy series Bupkis, playing Pete Davidson’s grandfather, showing a mix of his famous intensity and a lighter, funnier side. He also starred in the indie film Day of the Fight, released in late 2025, where he played a father dealing with his boxer son.

Even with retirement rumors, Pesci hasn’t disappeared. He pops up in commercials, jazz recordings, and occasional movie roles. His older classics like Casino and Goodfellas are still popular on streaming platforms, introducing his work to a new generation.

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