Editing Raging Bull (section)

=== Casting ===
[[File:Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci, 1980.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.9|Cathy Moriarty (left) and Joe Pesci (right) on the set]]
One of Scorsese's trademarks was casting many actors and actresses new to the profession.<ref name="Evans p65">Evans, Mike ''The Making of Raging Bull'', p. 65.</ref> De Niro, who was already committed to play Jake LaMotta, began to help Scorsese track down unfamiliar names to play his on-screen brother Joey and wife Vikki.<ref name="Evans p61">Evans, Mike ''The Making of Raging Bull'', p. 61.</ref><ref name="Baxter pp196-201">Baxter, John ''De Niro A Biography'' pp. 196–201</ref> The role of Joey LaMotta was the first to be cast. De Niro was watching a low-budget television film called ''[[The Death Collector]]'' when he saw the part of a young career criminal played by a relatively-unknown [[Joe Pesci]] as an ideal candidate. Prior to receiving a call from De Niro and Scorsese for the proposal to star in the film, Pesci had not worked in film for four years and was working at an Italian restaurant in [[New Jersey]].

The role of Vikki (spelled "Vickie" in the final film), Jake's second wife, had interest across the board, but it was Pesci who suggested the unknown [[Cathy Moriarty]] from a picture that he saw at a New Jersey disco.<ref name="Baxter pp196-201" /> Both De Niro and Scorsese believed that Moriarty, at 18 years old, could portray the role after meeting with her on several occasions and noticing her husky voice and physical maturity. The duo had to prove to the [[Screen Actors Guild]] that she was right for the role when [[Cis Corman]] showed 10 comparing pictures of Moriarty and the real Vikki LaMotta for proof that she had a resemblance.<ref name="Baxter pp196-201" />

Moriarty was asked to take a screen test, which she managed—partly aided by some improvised lines from De Niro—after some confusion wondering why the crew was filming her take. Joe Pesci also persuaded his former show-biz pal and co-star in ''[[The Death Collector]]'', [[Frank Vincent]], to audition for the role of Salvy Batts. Following a successful audition and screen test, Vincent received the call to say that he had received the part.<ref name="Evans pp.65/66">Evans, Mike, ''The Making of Raging Bull'', pp.&nbsp;65/66.</ref> [[Charles Scorsese]], the director's father, made his film debut as Tommy Como's cousin Charlie.<ref name="Evans pp.65/66" />

While in the midst of practicing a [[Bronx accent]] and preparing for his role, De Niro met with both LaMotta and his ex-wife Vikki on separate occasions. Vikki, who lived in Florida, told stories about her life with her former husband, and showed old home movies (that later inspired a similar sequence to be done for the film).<ref name="Total Film pp180-181" /><ref name="Baxter p192">Baxter, John, ''De Niro: A Biography'', p. 192.</ref>

Jake LaMotta, on the other hand, served as his trainer, accompanied by [[Al Silvani]] as coach at the Gramercy club in New York City, getting him into shape. The actor found that boxing came naturally to him; he entered as a middleweight boxer, winning two of his three fights in a [[Brooklyn]] ring dubbed "young LaMotta" by the commentator. According to Jake LaMotta, De Niro was one of the top 20 best middleweight boxers of all time.<ref name="Total Film pp180-181" /><ref name="Baxter pp196-201" />