At the Tribeca Festival, Brian Williams attempted a challenge: interviewing Robert De Niro.
Williams sat down with the actor Saturday as part of Tribeca’s “Directors Series” talks. De Niro is a famously difficult interview, but Williams was eager for a chance to face-off with a personal idol.
He was warned of De Niro’s sphinx-like reputation. Introducing the event, Jane Rosenthal, who co-founded Tribeca with De Niro and has long been his producing partner, said she was surprised at Williams’ request.
“Great idea, but have you seen Bob’s interviews?” said Rosenthal, recalling her reply.
The NBC News anchorman said that he wanted to interview De Niro “as a fan.” While De Niro often answered Williams’ questions with typical recalcitrance, the two managed a good conversation with only an occasional sigh from Williams.
At one point, Williams’ attempts for a more conversational interaction broke down when De Niro stymied him. “Did I answer the question?” asked De Niro, when there hadn’t been one.
But the two still had common ground. Asked if he watches his old movies when they air on TV, De Niro said he doesn’t.
“I don’t do that, Brian. I watch the news and I watch the ‘Today’ show,” said De Niro, drawing a laugh from the crowd. “I’m very set in my ways.”
De Niro said it was actually TV that helped inspire him to be an actor.
“I used to look at television and say, ‘Well, if that person can do it, then I can certainly do it,” recalled the 67-year-old actor.
And De Niro said TV is again frequently on his mind when he’s filming.
“Whenever I have a big dramatic scene, I always think: ‘What are they going to do with this on ‘Saturday Night Live’?” said De Niro, who has hosted the sketch comedy show and spent much of his later years making comedies.
The Tribeca Film Festival, which is celebrating its 10th incarnation, runs through May 1.
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More