The Power of Emotional Authenticity: A Conversation with Robert De Niro

It was beautiful for my son to be the guy who had to, and not this guy you know he had to, he had to be the other guy. I just want to tell a very funny story about one of his big scenes when Mr. Dairo chased him, which we just saw in the middle of this bipolar episode where Bradley really gives such a stellar performance an amazing performance where he's having that breakdown about his missing wife.

Anyway, Matthew rings the doorbell and Dairo chases him in his pajamas in the first T Matthew just like starts laughing hysterically. I said, "What are you doing this is serious," you know, and he said, "Oh my God, it's like I was enraging Bull." He said, "You know cuz he doesn't tell you what he's going to do, he's SE in the moment he didn't tell us that scene you saw where he cried that was not scripted that was not directed. I never asked for it, I never even had a conversation about it. We were just so grateful you asked him if he was intimidated to work with him. He said no, he's comfortable." I was very intimidated to work with him, you know because I just have so much respect for the man and he set the tone for the whole set.

But what really happened was that Bob comes out and pushing him, and I said, "You can't do that," you know. He said, "It's not like I'm Raging Bull and it's freaking me out." Eventually, he said, "What's real? A kid a teenage kid if a grown man with a bloody nose in his pajamas was pushing him, you know might start to laugh nervously so let's play it." And that became a very beautiful moment in the film where he says, "I'm going to come back here I'm going to break that camera over your head then I'm going to come back and interview what it's like to have that camera broken. What are you laughing at? I'm sorry." He immediately realizes that he's out of control but he gets to say, "What are you laughing at?" And so he used it, you know, he taught us all.

The experience was a cathartic one for everyone involved. When I first showed him the screenplay in his home, we all knew people who had faced these challenges and we'd all been touched by these people and we love them. You know, as he says in the movie, "I just want to do everything I can to help you get back on your feet." And there's nothing harder in life than when you can't figure out what to do. You try everything and you must never stop. Your heart just has to keep growing.

In that moment, it was clear that Robert De Niro had connected with the material on a deep level. He brought an emotional authenticity to his performance that was both captivating and humbling. As I watched him pour his heart out onto the screen, I felt a sense of awe and gratitude for the opportunity to witness such a remarkable performance.

The experience also highlighted the importance of trust in creative collaboration. When you feel comfortable enough with your co-star to push boundaries and take risks, that's when magic happens. And it was clear that Robert De Niro had built a strong foundation of trust with his fellow cast members and crew.

Looking back on that experience, I'm reminded of the power of emotional authenticity in storytelling. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and honest, both as actors and as artists, that's when we create something truly special. And it's clear that Robert De Niro's commitment to this principle has resulted in some of the most memorable performances of his career.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enit was beautiful for my son to be the guy who had to and not this guy you know he had to he had to be the other guy and I just want to tell a very funny story is that one of his big scenes when Mr dairo chased him which we just saw um in the middle of this bipolar episode where Bradley really gives such a stellar a performance an amazing performance where he's having that breakdown about his missing his wife anyway Matthew rings the doorbell and dairo chases him in his pajamas in the first T Matthew just like starts laughing hysterically and I said what are you doing this is serious you know and he said he said he said oh my God it's like I was enraging Bull he said you know cuz he doesn't tell you what he's going to do he's SE in the moment he didn't tell us that scene you saw where he cried that was not scripted that was not directed I never asked for it I never even had a conversation about it we were just so grateful you asked him if he was intimidated to work with him he said no he's comfortable I was very intimidated to work with him you know because I just have so much respect for the man and he set the tone for the whole set but he just did did it and and we were like we were shocked we like oh my God Robert Dair is crying in this scene and so you know we asked him to do it one or two more times you know and he obliged us he did but so anyway so Bob comes out and pushing him and I said you can't do that you know he said he said but it's not like I'm Raging Bull and it's freaking me out and eventually he said you know what it's real a kid a teenage kid if a grown man with a bloody nose in his pajamas was pushing him you know might start to laugh nervously so let's play it and that became a very beautiful moment in the film where he says I'm going to come back here I'm going to break that camera over your head then I'm going to come back and interview what it's like to have that camera broken what are you laughing at I'm sorry he immediately realizes that he's out of control but he gets to say what are you laughing at and so he used it you know he taught us all he taught us all did did did you feel a a greater responsibility Bob doing a a film that that David had so much personally invested in oh of course I mean um um I understand what he but I don't like to get emotional but I know exactly what he goes through you understood some of the same experiences that that he's had with his son so clearly this became became an important cathartic experience for all of you you know a communal experience I mean when I first showed him the screenplay in his home you know we all know people who have faced these challenges and we've all been touched by these people and we love these people you know and and uh as he says in the movie I just I'll do I want to do everything I can to help you get back on your feet and there's nothing harder in life than when you can't you can't figure out what to do you try everything and you and you and you must never stop you know your heart just has to keep growing but when I first was in his apartment and I was talking to him about the screenplay this is what happened and I thought he was having hay fever and I realized and I realized he was having an emotional reaction I sat there and I watched Robert dairo cry for 10 minutes and I said wow he's really connecting with this material and this would be a beautiful thing if it could work out because I think his heart would be there and it it is thereit was beautiful for my son to be the guy who had to and not this guy you know he had to he had to be the other guy and I just want to tell a very funny story is that one of his big scenes when Mr dairo chased him which we just saw um in the middle of this bipolar episode where Bradley really gives such a stellar a performance an amazing performance where he's having that breakdown about his missing his wife anyway Matthew rings the doorbell and dairo chases him in his pajamas in the first T Matthew just like starts laughing hysterically and I said what are you doing this is serious you know and he said he said he said oh my God it's like I was enraging Bull he said you know cuz he doesn't tell you what he's going to do he's SE in the moment he didn't tell us that scene you saw where he cried that was not scripted that was not directed I never asked for it I never even had a conversation about it we were just so grateful you asked him if he was intimidated to work with him he said no he's comfortable I was very intimidated to work with him you know because I just have so much respect for the man and he set the tone for the whole set but he just did did it and and we were like we were shocked we like oh my God Robert Dair is crying in this scene and so you know we asked him to do it one or two more times you know and he obliged us he did but so anyway so Bob comes out and pushing him and I said you can't do that you know he said he said but it's not like I'm Raging Bull and it's freaking me out and eventually he said you know what it's real a kid a teenage kid if a grown man with a bloody nose in his pajamas was pushing him you know might start to laugh nervously so let's play it and that became a very beautiful moment in the film where he says I'm going to come back here I'm going to break that camera over your head then I'm going to come back and interview what it's like to have that camera broken what are you laughing at I'm sorry he immediately realizes that he's out of control but he gets to say what are you laughing at and so he used it you know he taught us all he taught us all did did did you feel a a greater responsibility Bob doing a a film that that David had so much personally invested in oh of course I mean um um I understand what he but I don't like to get emotional but I know exactly what he goes through you understood some of the same experiences that that he's had with his son so clearly this became became an important cathartic experience for all of you you know a communal experience I mean when I first showed him the screenplay in his home you know we all know people who have faced these challenges and we've all been touched by these people and we love these people you know and and uh as he says in the movie I just I'll do I want to do everything I can to help you get back on your feet and there's nothing harder in life than when you can't you can't figure out what to do you try everything and you and you and you must never stop you know your heart just has to keep growing but when I first was in his apartment and I was talking to him about the screenplay this is what happened and I thought he was having hay fever and I realized and I realized he was having an emotional reaction I sat there and I watched Robert dairo cry for 10 minutes and I said wow he's really connecting with this material and this would be a beautiful thing if it could work out because I think his heart would be there and it it is there\n"