A pair of Oscars and countless lifetime achievement awards dot Robert De Niro’s film résumé. A supremely talented actor and a budding director, the New York native seems to find success in everything he tries in the entertainment industry.
The same holds true for his work on television — more specifically, in commercials. See five examples of how De Niro’s star power went beyond the big screen.
1. Santander Bank, based out of Spain, was looking to gain traction in the American market so it hired a big gun, so to speak, in De Niro,
according to Adweek. De Niro plays the most obnoxious moviegoer in the world, squirming in his seat during a Robert De Niro movie marathon. He talks on his phone and consistently pesters the man next to him.
2. Comedy is a big part of De Niro’s career, and even though television isn’t, the two have coexisted when he hosts “Saturday Night Live.” He has hosted the iconic American show three different times. He hosted Dec. 7, 2002, Dec. 18, 2004, and Dec. 4, 2010.
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3. De Niro has huge star appeal, obviously, and so does Leonardo DiCaprio. And both have appeared in many Martin Scorsese films — but never together.
In a 2015 report from Consequence of Sound, the two are purported to be working on a commercial for casinos in Macau and the Philippines.
Reports are that the commercial’s budget is $70 million and also will double as a short film by Scorsese.
4. In his quest to become a quality director, De Niro has also worked on Broadway. He had spent 30 years away from Broadway before agreeing to direct a rendition of “A Bronx Tale,”
according to Broadway.com.
De Niro last appeared on Broadway as an actor in 1986 in “Cuba & His Teddy Bear.” Since he had worked on a film based on “A Bronx Tale” in 1993, the Broadway musical version seemed like a natural project.
5. De Niro also occasionally works in documentaries, and perhaps his most famous was “9/11,” which CBS aired on the six-month anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York. The film won two Emmys.
De Niro was chosen because he is an iconic New Yorker and he has also been extremely active in causes that remember the event and raise awareness for those who suffered because of it,
according to Public Radio International.
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