MovieChat Forums > Brazil (1985) Discussion > De Niro and his alleged self-importance ...

De Niro and his alleged self-importance surrounding takes


Triva section:

While most of the actors needed only 2-3 takes, Robert De Niro insisted on 25-30 takes for his character, and he still managed to forget his lines. His part was eventually filmed in two weeks, rather than the one week Terry Gilliam envisioned.
De Niro only had a small support role in this film and while pivotal to the plot, it appears conceited of him to request this and for what reason\cause? This was at heart an absurdist, Monty Pythonesque dystopian comedy, and wouldn't a little more spontaneity, rather than some form of manipulating ego control have been more welcome in his approach? Sounds like a jerk to me!

Don't eat the whole ones! Those are for the guests. 🍪

reply

[deleted]

Yeah, and De Niro was only wasting his own time as well. Did he feel that what he does as an actor is so darn important, that everyone else would feel the same way? Because he was De Niro, he could get away with his self-important arrogance. I wonder why he was forgetting his lines, considering he is supposed to be such a professional?

Don't eat the whole ones! Those are for the guests. 🍪

reply

[deleted]

He pushed himself into being fatigued then and all to be at his best when he wasn't and it didn't even really matter when the others were doing it in 1 or 2 takes. What a Schmo!

Don't eat the whole ones! Those are for the guests. 🍪

reply

To feel that acting--and himself--is more important that it is. To control. He's waiting for the director to say "no" to him. But we only have ourselves to blame for making him a star, and applauding his every move. His improvisation is also a cheat.

reply

To be honest De Niro seems like that kind of actor to me, the kind that believes in doing a take just right or not doing it at all. In short, the sort who'd walk off the set if someone upset him.

reply