Robert De Niro Walked Off These Two Movies Mid-Shoot — ‘It Was the Worst’

by

Robert De Niro is known for being a committed actor, but he’s also turned down roles if they didn’t seem like a good fit. This first happened in the 1970s, when he was at the height of his career. He’d recently starred in The Godfather Part II and collaborated with Martin Scorsese on popular films like Mean Streets and Taxi Driver.

Robert De Niro accepted a role in a comedy film called Bogart Slept Here, directed by Mike Nichols – the director of The Graduate. However, it quickly became apparent that the part wasn’t right for him. He experienced a lot of stress during filming and realized the movie wasn’t going to be successful.

Robert De Niro is known for seeing his projects through, but he felt this one wasn’t working out. He admitted he didn’t feel he could do the role justice. Speaking at the Tribeca Film Festival, he explained that the problem was a combination of his own understanding and the specific comedic timing required for the script, which was written by Neil Simon. Ultimately, he felt it just wasn’t clicking.

He explained that the initial filming process lasted around two weeks and was a very difficult experience, something he’d only encountered a handful of times in his career. Ultimately, the film evolved into The Goodbye Girl, and Richard Dreyfuss ended up playing the lead role.

De Niro later departed another film, with Ray Winstone taking his place. The movie, called Edge of Darkness, featured Mel Gibson, who was facing public controversy at the time. This likely created some friction for De Niro during filming. Ultimately, the movie wasn’t a box office hit and didn’t achieve the same popularity as the original British television series.

Even with recent challenges, Robert De Niro continues to act regularly. He recently starred in the Netflix thriller Zero Day, which premiered in early 2026, playing a former U.S. President looking into a large-scale cyberattack. This was his first time leading a regular television series.

Robert De Niro has a few exciting films planned for 2026. He’s starring in The Whisper Man, a crime thriller adapted from the popular novel by Alex North. The movie also features Michael Keaton, Michelle Monaghan, and Adam Scott, and is being produced by the Russo brothers.

He’s returning to comedy with a new movie, Focker In-Law, which continues the story from the Fockers films, and will once again star alongside Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. Ariana Grande will also make a cameo appearance. Plus, after playing two different mob bosses in The Alto Knights, he’s cemented his reputation as a star in gangster films.

Despite a long and successful career in Hollywood, Robert De Niro is still very selective about the roles he takes. He believes it’s sometimes better to decline a part, even as a highly acclaimed actor, than to stay in a project that doesn’t feel right.

Read More

2026-01-24 23:14