What Just Happened - Robert De Niro interview
Interview by Rob Carnevale
ROBERT De Niro has a reputation as a man of few words when he appears before the press. Attending the London press conference of his latest movie, What Just Happened, he lived up to that reputation as he spoke [briefly but enthusiastically] about the joys and pains of getting the movie made.
He also spoke about the success of his Tribeca Film Festival in New York, what he thinks of test screenings and the possibility of reuniting with Martin Scorsese for at least one new movie.
Q. Is it true that it was your idea to turn Art Linson’s novel What Just Happened into a film?
Robert De Niro: Yeah, I read the book and I laughed all the way through it and I said to Art: “You should write a screenplay and we could make a movie out of it and I could play the part.”
Q. Did you have any ideas about how you’d like him to develop it?
Robert De Niro: No, it’s so hard to write a screenplay and Art was always complaining to me about the process he’s going through that I felt it was best to leave him alone and give him my support.
Q. Can you remember the first time you experienced the brutality of the business when you’re flavour of the month on the Friday and after disappointing box office figures over the weekend, your calls don’t get returned on the Monday?
Robert De Niro: It’s not that nobody returns your calls, it’s that nobody calls you [smiles]. But no, I haven’t experienced it first hand, although the fact is, if a movie is not received well or doesn’t do well [shrugs his shoulders]… I mean, with What Just Happened… I’ve had a few calls from people who like the movie very much and are complimentary about it. How it does [in cinemas], we don’t know. But we hope it does well.
Q. Was the film therapeutic at this point in your career?
Robert De Niro: Well… no. I liked the fact that between me and art and Jane Rosenthal and [director] Barry Levinson everybody knew this world from their own perspective and that it would be fun to say the least. And it was fun. Art [Linson, screenwriter] did such a good job. He’s so smart and funny about it.
Q. This film was completed quite quickly, so did working so quickly rekindle the energy of your youth?
Robert De Niro: Well, no… there’s a certain energy and tautness when you’re working this fast, but it was okay, it was okay. We did [political satire] Wag The Dog in less time. It was 28 days and it was that way of doing it, so that was fine.
Q. We see a lot of different sides to your character in the film. How do you hope he’ll be perceived?
Robert De Niro: Well, you know, I think the Italian films… they have comedy, drama, whatever, and they’re so good at it. I kind of think of this as having a more European flavour – it’s funny but it also has all the other elements of sadness and drama and whatever…
Q. There are two wonderful moments of appalling behaviour: the English director going nuts and Bruce Willis going nuts in the wardrobe department. Can you recall any examples of similar behaviour? And feel free to name names…
Robert De Niro: Believe it or not I can’t remember seeing or being part of a drama like that. As Art says, it’s based on his experience and we were lucky to get Bruce Willis. He really understood the joke, so it was fun. Michael Wincott was great as well. We were so lucky to get him.
Q. What are your views on test screenings?
Robert De Niro: I think they have validity. I know directors who take them really seriously and they should, but more for comedies. I’m impressed by how they gauge certain things. I think they have a value if you want to use them but sometimes they don’t have a value. It depends on what kind of movie it is. Personally, I would never stop someone doing it, I think there’s always something you get out of it.
Q. Have you ever had days or weeks like [your character] Ben when you felt people want you to be all sort of things at all different times: an actor, a father, a husband, a director…
Robert De Niro: Well, I’ve had days… not quite the way you’re saying it, but I’ve had days…
Q. How do you manage to juggle it and do you use Bluetooth like Ben does?
Robert De Niro: No. But I’m still here…
Q. Is there any more news on whether you will reunite with Martin Scorsese on I Heard You Paint Houses?
Robert De Niro: That’s something that Marty and I want to do very much. Steve Zaillian at this point is writing the script. We have an even more ambitious plan of doing another movie connected to it in some way with Eric Roth writing that script. So yeah, that’s very much planned to be done.
Q. Your Tribecca festival seems to be growing all the time, what hopes do you have for its future?
Robert De Niro: Well, I have great hopes for it. It is getting bigger and better every year. So I’m quite happy with it.
Q. What are your views on film festivals in general?
Robert De Niro: Oh yeah, they’re great, I love festivals. They’re terrific. Yep. Cannes is great.
Read our review of What Just Happened