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Tag: Robert De Niro

  • Anne Hathaway Rocks Maternity Mini on L.A. Art Show Red Carpet

    Anne Hathaway walked her first red carpet since announcing in November that she and husband Adam Shulman are expecting their first baby.

    Decked out in a Marc Jacons mini-dress and Miu Miu high heels, Hathaway’s baby bump was on full display on Wednesday, as she strutted her stuff on the red carpet at the L.A. Art Show and Los Angeles Fine Art Show’s 2016 opening night premiere party. All proceeds from the evening’s event benefitted St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

    Impending motherhood looks good on Anne Hathaway. She credits her recent “wellness kick” for at least a portion of her healthy glow.

    A source tells E! News the Devil Wears Prada star has kept both “healthy and active” during her pregnancy.

    “She is taking it easy, though, as much as she can,” the source adds.

    Anne Hathaway’s pregnancy isn’t simply a source of excitement, it has served to strengthen her marriage, too.

    “Adam has been really helpful and is so excited on the baby,” the source says. “Adam and Anne are doing great as a couple and this whole baby process is a bonding experience for them both.”

    Anne Hathaway most recently appeared on the big screen alongside Robert De Niro in The Intern. Her and Adam Shulman’s baby is due this spring.

  • Jennifer Aniston Honeymoon Not Ruined by Cruel Coincidence of Carmel Musgrove’s Death

    Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux wed in August in a secret ceremony, flying off with close friends to Bora Bora for a honeymoon getaway the next day.

    Even though Jennifer Aniston has been listed in connection with the death of Carmel Musgrove–a woman who attended the getaway with friends of Aniston and Theroux–reports that their honeymoon was ruined are greatly exaggerated.

    Casey Musgrove was the assistant to Lethal Weapon and Matrix films producer Joel Silver. Her nude body was found along the shore on August 20th. Reports say she died of a combination of drowning and “the effects of drugs and alcohol in her system.”

    Stephen Huvane is Jennifer Aniston’s publicist. He issued a statement that said Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux had returned home to L.A. from their honeymoon when this tragedy occurred.

    “Her honeymoon was well over, and she was already back in Los Angeles when this horrible tragedy occurred,” he said.

    While Jennifer Aniston was surely saddened by this acquaintance’s death, it in no way ruined the honeymoon she and Justin shared with close friends Courteney Cox, Chelsea Handler, Jason Bateman, Jimmy Kimmel, and more.

    Although News Australia recently reported that the honeymoon was destroyed by the tragic death of Carmel Musgrove, that is a gross exaggeration.

    In much happier Jennifer Aniston news, the actress has teamed up with Robert De Niro to film his passion project, The Comedian, next year. In The Comedian, De Niro plays an insult comic who falls for Jennifer Aniston’s character at a wedding.

    The Comedian will be produced by those who made Jennifer Aniston’s 2014 film, Cake.

  • Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro Completely Transform For HBO’s ‘The Wizard of Lies’

    Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro Completely Transform For HBO’s ‘The Wizard of Lies’

    Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro look unrecognizable as Bernie and Ruth Madoff in photos released for the upcoming HBO film The Wizard of Lies.

    The stills show the Hollywood A-listers looking far older than how fans know them.

    According to Us Weekly, Pfeiffer and De Niro portray a disgraced financier and his wife in the HBO flick.

    In one of the photos, De Niro, as Bernie, is seated in a plush armchair, wearing a black pullover, gray slacks, his wedding ring, and an ankle monitor, while Pfeiffer, portraying Ruth, stands behind her man in a white shirt, light blue cardigan, black-rimmed glasses and platinum blonde hair.

    The film chronicles the massive Ponzi scheme that landed Bernie a 150-year sentence in federal prison for charges of fraud after he infamously scammed investors out of $65 billion, including actors John Malkovich and Kevin Bacon, and director Steven Spielberg.

    Barry Levinson of Rain Man fame directs the film and also serves as executive producer alongside De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Berry Welsh, according to Entertainment Weekly.

    Based on the book The Wizard of Lies by Diana Henriques, the much-anticipated movie takes some of its material from Laurie Sandell’s Truth And Consequences.

    Wizard of Lies also stars Hank Azaria as Madoff’s key lieutenant Frank Dipascali and Alessandro Nivola as Mark Madoff.

    Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro previously appeared together in the feature film, The Family.

  • Anne Hathaway And Robert De Niro Shine In “The Intern”, See The Trailer

    Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro make amazing counterparts in a new heartwarming comedy, The Intern.

    Anne Hathaway stars as a young fashion executive who started a company that has grown exponentially, and with it, the stress of running it.

    Robert De Niro is a 70-year-old retiree looking for a new purpose.

    As the movie follows Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro, they become necessary to each other’s existence.

    Watch the trailer:

    By the end of the trailer, Anne Hathaway admits to his character, “The truth is, something about you makes me feel calm. More centered or something. I could use that, obviously.”

    The movie also stars Andrew Rannells, Pitch Perfect‘s Adam DeVine, Nat Wolff and Rene Russo as the office masseuse.

    At the end of last month, Anne Hathaway went to the movies, herself.

    Anne Hathaway treated herself to a night out to see the Judd Apatow movie, Trainwreck, which stars Amy Schumer.

    That’s when Anne Hathaway found out she was the brunt of a joke in the movie.

    In Trainwreck, Amy Schumer accuses her boyfriend, played by Bill Hader, for acting like Anne Hathaway on Oscar night when he wins a charity award.

    Anne Hathaway posted a response to the joke on Instagram with a photo of her movie ticket.

    What an amazingly great reaction to being the brunt of a joke!

    What do you think about Anne Hathaway’s new movie with Robert De Niro? Will you be going to see it?

  • David Letterman: Aubrey Plaza Talks Sex With Robert De Niro

    David Letterman and Aubrey Plaza both realized they have no plans for after the Late Show and Parks and Recreation come to an end. Plaza was a guest on Letterman’s show on Tuesday, and the two talked about their futures.

    “I have no plan. At all,” Plaza said. “I was thinking of gaining skills–survival skills. Marksmanship, maybe.”

    “What are you going to do when your show’s over?” she asked David Letterman.

    “As I was asking you that question,” he admitted. “I realized I don’t have an answer either.”

    Jon Stewart will take over for Letterman on the Late Show when he ends his reign.

    Letterman and Plaza decided that at some point after both the Late Show and Parks and Recreation are officially done, they will do something together. And while David Letterman wouldn’t commit to any of Aubrey Plaza’s ideas–the Kentucky Derby or the symphony–he said he would, in fact, take her somewhere.

    Aubrey Plaza wasn’t initially up front about her lack of future plans, however. She later divulge to David Letterman that she was to start filming on Thursday for a movie called Dirty Grandpa. The film stars Robert De Niro as the dirty grandpa, who is looking to get lucky.

    “I play a girl looking for some action. … My sole purpose in the movie is to have sex with De Niro’s character,” she said.

    It sounds like David Letterman isn’t going to have quite as much fun as Aubrey Plaza when his show comes to a close. The late night host hasn’t had much to say about what he actually might do, but fans are likely hard-pressed to believe he will step away from comedy–or TV–for good.

  • Zac Efron To Star Alongside Zoey Deutch And Robert De Niro In “Dirty Grandpa”

    Zoey Deutch, of Vampire Academy fame, will be joining Zac Efron and Robert De Niro in the comedy film Dirty Grandpa. The film will be released by Lionsgate with Dan Mazer directing. The screenplay was written by John Phillips and is centered on an uptight man named Jason, played by Efron, who drives to Florida for spring break before his wedding. De Niro will be playing Jason’s father, a foul-mouthed former Army general who joins his son for the road trip. Deutch will be playing Efron’s love interest, an “earthly environmental advocate” named Shadia.

    Deutch is slowly but surely making a name for herself in Hollywood, starring in several high profile films including the upcoming baseball film from Richard Linklater called That’s What I’m Talking About. Recently, she also joined Emile Hirsch and Zoe Kravitz in the crime drama Vincent-N-Roxxy. Last year, she starred in the film Beautiful Creatures as Emily Asher and she also appeared in the TV show Switched at Birth.

    Zac Efron, who started his career in Disney’s High School Musical, has proven himself to be a capable actor on the big screen as well. He was recently seen in the comedy films Neighbors and That Awkward Moment, but he has also been involved in several high profile drama films in the past. In 2013, he appeared in the ensemble drama Parkland, which focused on the events that occurred on the day of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. He also received rave reviews for his performance in The Paperboy back in 2012.

    Efron’s next project is the film We Are Your Friends, about a DJ struggling to make his first hit. The film is written and directed by Max Joseph, who made the critically acclaimed documentary 12 Years of DFA: Too Old to Be New, Too New to Be Classic about the iconic New York record label DFA records.

  • Kate Bosworth Says Working With Robert De Niro and John Travolta Was the Highlight of 2014

    Kate Bosworth says working with Robert De Niro and John Travolta was the highlight of her year.

    In a recent interview with E! Online, the 31-year-old actress said working with the actors made 2014 extra special.

    “I’m feeling blessed with so much work!,” said Bosworth. “I just wrapped two films back to back: Life on the Line with John Travolta and Bus 657 with Robert De Niro. It doesn’t get better than these greats and I felt fortunate for every moment to learn from them.”

    Life on the Line is an indie drama which centers on “a crew of eccentric linemen who do the dangerous high-wire work of fixing the electrical grid, struggle to hold on to the women they love, until a massive storm threatens to rip their lives apart.”

    Bus 657, which also stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Gina Carano and Dave Bautista, “centers on a father (Morgan) without the means to pay for his daughter’s medical treatment. As a last resort, he partners with a greedy co-worker (Bautista) to rob a casino and the two hijack a bus full of hostages and things go awry. De Niro will play Frank ‘The Pope,’ owner of the casino, and Bosworth plays his estranged daughter. Carano is a policewoman in pursuit of the hijacked bus,” according to Deadline.

    Meanwhile, Bosworth is busy promoting her new shoe collection in collaboration with the brand Matisse and shared her creative process with E! Online.

    “I have always been attracted to fashion that is transitional, meaning designs that carry a woman from season to season, from day to night. That was a significant part of the thought process for this collection. I wanted to think about footwear that is directional and also comfortable. This is also very much in line with the Matisse customer: You can wear the “Charlotte” star boots with jeans for a more casual, classical approach or pair them with a skirt or dress for a trendier look,” the actress told E!.

    “I feel footwear should be able to transcend one look—it should also be functional in a sense that a woman can wear a style in many different ways. This is the type of footwear that exists in my own wardrobe, items that I feel confident investing in.”

    The collection, which will be available in Spring 2015, features 10 different styles of boots, clogs, sandals and mules.

  • Robert De Niro Biography Reveals Shocking Secrets

    Robert De Niro is perhaps the most iconic living actor. The method actor has been known to disappear completely into dark roles and even risk his life for the process.

    De Niro gained so much weight to play Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980) that he reportedly had trouble breathing during the physically exhausting production, even to the point where director Martin Scorsese shut down filming because he feared that De Niro’s health would fail him.

    We’ve seen the legend as a young Vito Corleone before the Godfather became a Don, as a delusional taxi driver who wishes to wash away all the scum of the earth, and a Goodfella who would kill his friends but would never rat them out.

    Despite De Niro’s massive presence on the big screen, the 71-year-old actor has mostly kept his private life private. However, that’s about to change.

    In Shawn Levy’s biography De Niro: A Life, available just in time for the holidays, the dark curtain of the actor’s life is pulled back for the audience to finally see. Many of De Niro’s secrets and most private moments are now on display in Levy’s unauthorized bio.

    Levy writes in his book that after De Niro found success in films like Mean Streets and Taxi Driver, that he became a heavy cocaine user. His affinity for the drug led to a friendship with John Belushi, he was even with the comedy legend at the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles on the night that Belushi died from a drug overdose from mixing heroin and cocaine. In fact, Levy contends that De Niro may have felt some level of responsibility for his part in Belushi’s tragic death because the friends had talked about using heroin as a way for Belushi to go method for an upcoming film role.

    The book also goes into De Niro’s romantic life and his womanizing ways. Levy discusses the actor’s relationships with Uma Thurman, Whitney Houston, and Naomi Campbell. The biographer also delves into the darker side of De Niro. He writes about the man who was abusive to his girlfriends and had an extremely bad temper. There is also a story about how De Niro tried to force one of his girlfriends to get an abortion.

    Despite the revealing of De Niro’s darkest secrets, Levy also clearly respects and admires the actor. This is not just a book about uncovering skeletons in an icon’s closet. The biography also explores De Niro’s whole life story, including his childhood. Additionally, the book covers the actor’s impressive 40 year career and filmography.

    De Niro has yet to comment on Levy’s biography.

  • Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Brad Pitt To Star In Martin Scorsese Short For Studio City Casino

    It’s a cast destined for greatness. Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Brad Pitt starring in any movie together for the first time should pique filmgoers’ interest. The fact that it’s all three of these big stars’s first time together on screen while being directed by Martin Scorsese, makes it a potential hit. The writer, Terence Winter, who penned The Wolf of Wall Street, makes this project more and more enticing. MTV said this movie might be “Scorsese’s answer to Ocean’s Eleven, or a long-awaited sequel to his own Casino.”

    When does this movie come out? Next year, but you won’t be able to see it in theaters in the United States. You’ll have to go to Macau for that.

    According to Deadline, the short film has been commissioned by Melco-Crown Entertainment for the opening of their latest casino, Studio City. Although, the internet being what it is, non-international traveling movie fans will most likely be able to watch the movie on their computers and mobile devices sometime next year.

    Independent News and Media reported that the film will promote Melco-Crown’s expansion globally, so the chances of the film being released online are pretty good since the company is looking to establish its global brand. Executive Producer James Parker said his aim is “to bring together Western and Eastern culture.”

    Macau is a fitting place for such a meeting. Not only does the island have a long history bridging the East and West, but they are also one of the gambling capitals of the world:

    So if you’re looking to see a casino themed Scorsese movie starring De Nino, you may be stuck watching 1995’s Casino for the time being, which Indiewire recently called one of De Niro’s best performances.

  • Robert De Niro Crashes World Cup Party

    Robert De Niro Crashes World Cup Party

    Robert De Niro isn’t a huge soccer fan. He was interested enough in a recent game, however, that he crashed a random World Cup viewing in Brooklyn last week so he didn’t miss watching the U.S. compete against Germany. The Meet the Fockers star was filming a new movie called The Intern in Brooklyn when it became clear he would miss the game if some sort of arrangements weren’t made.

    Warner Bros. set about making such arrangements for the actor. They even went so far as to email an apartment building resident near where filming was taking place to see about getting a satellite hooked up in time for the game.

    “Our lead actor, Robert De Niro, would very much like to watch the World Cup game, today at 12pm. Would it be possible to place a small portable satellite on the building rooftop ASAP and run a cable to the street to help facilitate this request?” the email read.

    Before such details were confirmed, however, it seems De Niro simply wandered into a home in which the production company was renting a space to use as their ‘green room’ and made himself cozy to watch the game.

    “We got another email from a neighbor saying he talked to the crew and apparently he found a house of people watching it and joined them,” the resident said.

    Can you imagine how exciting it must have been for that group of U.S. soccer fans or for the home owner to not only be watching their team compete for the World Cup, but to be doing so with none other than Robert De Niro? Do you think they even realized just how huge a star he is?

    “He wasn’t going to miss the game!” a source said. “He’s a true American. He has no problem hanging, he enjoyed it.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Eliza Dushku and Rick Fox Have Split

    Eliza Dushku and Rick Fox Have Split

    Eliza Dushku has ended her five-year relationship with boyfriend Rick Fox, a retired NBA player, and moved back to her hometown of Boston.

    “Rick’s an LA guy and I’m a Boston girl,” Dushku said of the split.

    “I missed my town and I missed my family.”

    Dushku has purchased a condo near her childhood home in Watertown. Regarding the fact that her new abode has a basement, the 33-year-old actress said that nobody “in LA has a basement … They all have the obligatory storage spaces in the Valley.”

    The move back to Boston marks the end of a 22-year stay in Los Angeles for Dushku.

    She broke into acting with a role opposite C. Thomas Howell and Juliette Lewis in the 1992 adaptation of Alice McDermott’s novel That Night.

    From there she gained notoriety for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1998-2003) and Dollhouse (2009-2010.)

    Over the course of her career, Dushku has starred opposite some of Hollywood’s biggest names, such as Halle Berry (Race the Sun,) Leonardo DiCaprio (This Boy’s Life,) and Robert De Niro (City by the Sea and This Boy’s Life.)

    Although she’s not closing the door on acting and producing, Dushku says it’s time for some changes, including attending university in the fall.

    “I’ve been talking about it for 15 years. It’s a whole new trajectory for me that makes me really happy.”

    Dushku and her brother Nate, also an actor, will continue working on a biopic of artist Robert Mapplethorpe with the production company Dushku started when she was just 17-years-old, Boston Divas.

    Dushku, who calls herself a “proud Albanian-Danish American,” will also continue her work as an honorary Albanian Ambassador and with various charities, including the Trauma Healing and Reflection Center in Gulu, Uganda (THRIVEGulu) founded by her mother Judy Dushku, an activist, college professor, and world traveler.

    “… I have a new life right now. I’m on kind of a different path for the time being,” Dushku said of the recent changes she’s made. “I’d rather be physically cold than emotionally stagnant. I just sort of come alive when I’m home.”

    Image via Eliza Dushku, Instagram

  • Robert Pattinson and Robert De Niro to Costar in ‘Idol’s Eye’

    Robert Pattinson is no doubt best known for his role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight series of films that thrilled audiences for five years, but that also more or less typecast the actor in his role as a sexy and very handsome vampire. He has gone on to star in a few additional films–most recently The Rover. Now he is receiving what will likely be his biggest break ever on the big screen–alongside Robert De Niro–in an upcoming film called Idol’s Eye.

    Not a lot is known as of yet about Idol’s Eye other than a vague description that calls it “a sophisticated heist action-thriller.” However lots is known about Robert De Niro, including the fact that most everything he touches turns to gold–or at least a nice grade of sterling silver. He has played such a vast variety of roles from Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II to the hilarious role as Jack Byrnes in Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, and Little Fockers, that he will shine in whatever character he assumes for this new film. And he will no doubt work with Robert Pattinson (De Niro has not only acted, but produced and directed a long list of impressive films) to mold him into a more versatile actor.

    Pattinson has long shown great interest in moving far, far away from his role in the Twilight films. He has played some unusual roles in The Rover, Maps to the Stars and in Cosmopolis, too. It’s actually quite exciting to imagine him playing opposite Robert De Niro.

    Some publications say Idol’s Eye was originally titled Hubris, and that not much of the content, but merely the title has changed, since its inception. It has been reported that actress Rachel Weisz, known for her roles in The Bourne Legacy and Oz the Great and Powerful, has also signed on to star in the film.

    Robert Pattinson’s name was long synonymous with that of Twilight costar Kristen Stewart, who played Edward Cullen’s beloved Bella Swan. The two were an item for quite some time until she cheated on him with her Snow White and the Huntsmen director Rupert Sanders. The two went back and forth–dating now and then–since the split. Rob was recently asked during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter about whether or not the two are still in touch these days.

    “Oh, yeah,” was his rather allusive reply.

    Pattinson also talked about his prior roles and he expressed his desire to really prove himself on the big screen.

    “I don’t know if I’ve really particularly found my feet as an actor yet,” he said. “I have to prove certain things.”

    Might the role in Idol’s Eye opposite Robert De Niro be the catalyst that sends Robert Pattinson well past his vampire persona and straight into Oscars fame? It certainly seems like the components are all there. Waiting on the details and time frame of when this might be released will make for great excitement and anticipation for his droves of adoring fans. They have never given up on their hope that Edward Cullen might one day return in a new Twilight film.

    Robert Pattinson, as you can see, has made it very clear that Edward Cullen has seen better days.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Lillo Brancato Jr. Discusses Struggle With Addiction

    Former Sopranos actor Lillo Brancato Jr. has lived a hard life. But after spending eight years in prison, he wants to give back by helping young people avoid the pitfalls and dangers of drug abuse.

    “Here I am, I get the opportunity, I get the shot and then squander it, and do what I did, and get addicted to drugs and just make horrible decisions,” Brancato said in an interview broadcast Sunday on WNYM-AM.

    The 26-year-old – who got his break in the 1993 film A Bronx Tale with Robert De Niro – was convicted in 2005 after a Bronx break-in left an off-duty police officer dead. He was paroled in December.

    Brancato, who admitted the last time he got high was in prison in 2006, said he wants to share his experiences of uncontrollable addiction with young people.

    According to prosecutors, Brancato was drinking at a Bronx strip club with a Genovese crime family associate, Steven Armento, when they decided to break into a nearby basement apartment and steal Valium.

    Off-duty Officer Daniel Enchautegui, who lived in the neighborhood, was awakened by the sound of shattering glass awoke and came to the rescue. According to prosecutors, he confronted the men and a gunbattle erupted, with Armento firing first.

    As Enchautegui lay dying, he managed to shoot Brancato and Armento. The wounded actor was arrested as he tried to get into his car, authorities said.

    Armento was convicted of murder in the officer’s death when they determined the fatal shot came from his gun. Brancato was acquitted of murder but convicted of attempted burglary.

    In the interview with WNYM-AM, he said he realizes some of the actors who’ve worked with him in the past may not be willing to do so again.

    “At least, see the person that I am today, see the person that I’ve grown up into,” he said. “I definitely had to learn the hard way, but I am no longer that person who was present that night.”

    The most important thing he learned in prison, Brancato said, “is how to get through tough times” — without drugs.

    Image via YouTube

  • Don Rickles Upcoming Fete Includes Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman

    Don Rickles will be lauded in a comedy-filled event on May 6th at New York’s Apollo Theater by guests including Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman, Ray Romano and more. Stand-up performances, video clips, taped tributes by those not able to attend in person, and even some personal stories shared by close friends will all be part of the tribute to the 87-year-old funny man just two days before his 88th birthday. The 90-minute event will be taped for airing on Spike TV. Called One Night Only: An All-Star Comedy Tribute to Don Rickles, fans can tune in on May 28th at 9:00 P.M. to share in the fun.

    “We’re thrilled that David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Robert De Niro and so many more will be coming out to entertain and celebrate our hero — Don Rickles,” Casey Patterson, the executive producer and executive VP of event production and talent development at Viacom Entertainment Group said. “The genius of Rickles is in the danger, nobody is safe, and what you can expect is a night of comedy from these superstars worthy of a legend. It truly will be One Night Only.”

    In addition to Seinfeld, Letterman, and Romano, additional guests for the comedy event include Brad Garrett, Robert De Niro, Jimmy Kimmel, Martin Scorsese, Tracy Morgan, Jon Stewart, Bob Newhart, and Regis Philbin. How exciting that so many of comedy’s best will be gathered together for one event. In true Rickles form, his tweeted about the upcoming event.

    Don Rickles earned two nicknames, “The Merchant of Venom” and “Mr. Warmth” for his mastery of insult comedy. He is noted for having picked on people of all ethnicities and from all walks of life. Some of his stand-up routines from decades ago would be deemed way beyond politically correct today. Rickles made his first appearance on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson back in 1965, and wound up both guest hosting and appearing on the show more than 100 times during Carson’s reign. Even at 87, he is still active in stand-up comedy and makes frequent late night appearances on shows like the Late Show With David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

    Rickles was honored less than a year ago by New York’s Friar’s Club.

    One Night Only: An All-Star Comedy Tribute to Don Rickles will no doubt be one of the biggest comedy events of 2014. Will you be tuning in to Spike to share in the laughter?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Don Rickles to Get Tribute from Jimmy Kimmel, Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Newhart

    Don Rickles will get an all-star tribute from an impressive lineup of comedic celebrities such as Jimmy Kimmel, Bob Newhart, and Jerry Seinfeld next month. Robert De Niro, David Letterman, Tracy Morgan, Regis Philbin, Ray Romano, Martin Scorsese, John Stamos, and Jon Stewart are also slated to appear at the event.

    The 90-minute tribute titled One Night Only: An All-Star Comedy Tribute to Don Rickles will be taped on May 6 at the Apollo Theater, a New York City landmark located in Harlem. The show will air May 28 on Spike Network.

    “The genius of Rickles is in the danger, nobody is safe, and what you can expect is a night of comedy from these superstars worthy of a legend. It truly will be One Night Only,” said Casey Patterson, Executive Producer and Executive Vice President, Event Production & Talent Development, Viacom Entertainment Group, which owns Spike.

    Rickles, a native of Queens, will turn 88 on May 8.

    Often referred to as the “Merchant of Venom” or “Mr. Warmth,” Rickles is considered comedy’s master of the insult.

    Early on, Rickles abandoned his dreams of becoming a serious actor to hone his nightclub act. In 1957, Frank Sinatra saw the act at Slate Brothers in Los Angeles and quickly became Rickles’ champion.

    It wasn’t long before Rickles had caught the attention of Dean Martin and Johnny Carson and was headlining performances in Las Vegas.

    ”My humor is so over the top you’d have to be an awful fool to think I’m embarrassing you,” Rickles said in a 1996 interview with The New York Times. ”When I pick someone from the audience, their eyes say, ‘I can take it.’ But if I’m wrong, I’ll never let them know it. When you sell yourself you just can’t back down. I absolutely believe that. You’ve got to stay with what got you to the dance. It’s an old expression but true.”

    Rickles and his wife Barbara celebrated their 49th anniversary in March. They’re the parents of two children, Larry and Mindy. Mindy followed in her father’s comedic footsteps.

    One Night Only is a relatively new annual event on Spike. The first installment, which aired in 2012 and paid tribute to Eddie Murphy, remains the highest rated show in the network’s history.

    Image via YouTube

  • Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro Talk Football

    Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro talked U.K. football recently, and the even though the two didn’t agree on who might win, they both believe football is “the greatest sport ever.” The Grudge Match stars were in the U.K. promoting their new film, that opened in the U.S. on Christmas Day.

    De Niro readily admitted to not having much experience playing the sport. Stallone actually thought he had a chance at being a decent player, but found out otherwise when starring the the film Escape to Victory, which featured some bona fide football players, including Pele, Bobby Moore and John Wark. Of course you’ve certainly figured out by now that U.K. football is actually soccer. Sylvester Stallone learned he really was pretty bad at playing.

    “That was one of the low points of my life,” Stallone recalled. “What a butt-kicking I got! I still have a broken finger from trying to block a penalty by Pele. He put on a pair of World War II shoes which were steel-tipped, and the ball was like a cannonball – it was twice as thick and heavy as footballs are today. He was telling me he was going to take a shot and I thought ‘it’s soccer, what’s the big deal? It’s easy’. He came to take one penalty shot and he told me exactly where he was going to put it, so I stood there but the ball still flew past me before I could move.”

    Things went downhill from there.

    “He put it literally right where he had said. He did it again, and it ripped through the back of the net and broke a window in the barracks where we were filming,” Stallone added. “I went ‘are you kidding me?’ I found a new kind of respect.”

    Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro were really pretty funny when discussing the sport at the BBC in England.

    “I have played it, and my kids played it but not much. I am not into the sport,” De Niro said.

    “So you are not ready to go pro?” Stallone asked.

    “No, not unless there is a part in a movie for me,” De Niro replied.

    “We could do a film called ‘Sludgematch’ about the slowest soccer players in the world,” came Stallone’s reply.

    Wouldn’t you have liked to seen the expression on De Niro’s face when Stallone threw that quip at him?

    These two are absolutely priceless together in person and in Grudge Match. Have you caught them together yet on the big screen?

    Image via Wikimedia

  • Kim Basinger Stars in Upcoming ‘Grudge Match’

    Kim Basinger might have dressed like a man at the premiere of her upcoming film, but she still exudes that sexy style fans love. Starring with Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone in Grudge Match–which opens on Christmas Day–Basinger is anything but manly. Some reviews of Basinger’s gangster-type men’s suit are flattering while others deem she simply looked silly.

    Nonetheless Basinger plays a vital role in the film about two retired boxers (De Niro and Stallone) who are coaxed back into the ring.

    This marks Kim Basinger’s return to the big screen. This is the most high profile project the actress and ex-wife of Alec Baldwin has done in about nine years. She held several roles in films back in the 1980s and 1990s, including L.A. Confidential. Might Grudge Match represent a big comeback or a first time nod in her direction for her acting skills?

    Comedian Kevin Hart, Alan Arkin, Jon Bernthal, Anthony Anderson and Camden Gray round out Grudge Match’s main players. Hart told US Weekly that making the film was akin to being a kid in a candy store.

    “I got the opportunity to work with Robert DeNiro, Sylvester Stallone, Alan Arkin, Kim Basinger,” he said.

    Social media plays a huge role in the way the upcoming boxing match makes news, which of course it does in most everything these days. If Kim Basinger promises that she doesn’t dress like a gangster in the film, might it draw you out to watch on Christmas Day?

    It will be interesting to learn if ex-hubby Alec Baldwin and daughter Ireland go to see Kim Basinger in this new film.

    Image via Wikimedia

  • Robert De Niro on ‘SNL’ as One of Three Wise Guys

    Robert De Niro teamed up with Sylvester Stallone to celebrate John Goodman’s 13th time hosting SNL on Saturday night, and the three performed together in a Christmas sketch called “The Three Wise Guys.” The sketch saw the three wise men–replete with New York/New Jersey accents—making the Christmas pilgrimage to visit the Christ child.

    Stallone made reference to a camel toe and De Niro brought something like hair gel (it fell off the back of a donkey) to the Messiah. And that was only a portion of the fun.

    Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro have a new film opening in theaters on Christmas Day. Called Grudge Match, two boxers are coaxed out of retirement for a bout. Their appearance on SNL was very clearly promo related.

    Robert De Niro has played all kinds of film roles, but nothing is quite as funny as his role as Jack Focker in Meet the Fockers and Meet the Parents. He was pretty darn funny as one of the Three Wise Guys on SNL this weekend, too.

    Twitter was abuzz about the Three Wise Guys.

    If you missed Saturday night’s episode of SNL, you missed one that–while it received mixed reviews–showed Robert De Niro in his full-on humor mode. The Three Wise Guys was irreverent and Stallone, as usual, was a bit difficult to understand. Don’t forget to check out Grudge Match on Christmas Day. That is no doubt the only reason De Niro and Stallone did SNL.

    Image via Wikimedia

  • Sylvester Stallone’s Nativity Skit Could Help Grudge Match

    Robert De Niro, John Goodman and Sylvester Stallone teamed on last night’s Saturday Night Live episode to perform as “Wise Guys.”   The skit had the three men talking about Jesus like he was a kid from the neighborhood. On one portion, De Niro comments that Jesus might not be “little Joey’s kid.” In another conversation, they rehashed all the things they brought Jesus for his birthday.  The skit mostly used the “ay” tough guy from New Jersey stereotype for humor.  Whether people really enjoyed the skit or not, it did cause enough media buzz to do what it intended: promote Grudge Match.

    Grudge Match stars De Niro and Stallone as life-long boxing rivals. Many years after their prime, they decide to settle their feud once again in the ring. From the trailer, it looks like the movie relies a lot on old men trying to be young humor. This is a similar comedy style to de Niro’s last major box office film, Last Vegas.

    Last Vegas became the highest grossing movie for CBS Films.   The film’s premise was similar to the Hangover franchise. It’s debatable whether stars like De Niro, Michael Douglas, Kevin Kline and Morgan Freeman drew in audiences, or  if the storyline was the reason for its huge success. It’s most likely a combination of both. However, there is no doubt that De Niro has enough name recognition to bring in big box office numbers. The same goes for Stallone. The Expendables franchise has been very profitable for him. Therefore, intense promotional efforts may not be needed for Grudge Match.

    But small efforts like surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live  definitely can help the film rather than hurt it.  This should help Grudge Match draw in some of the younger audience who may not have had the movie on their holiday radar.

    The film’s storyline blends comedy and drama, in a heartwarming way, so it should grab family audience more than films like Last Vegas and Expendables.

    Grudge Match has a Christmas release day. As on of the most competitive times for movies, Grudge Match will face off against many heavy hitters, including American Hustle, The Wolf  of Wall street and August: Osage County.

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  • Michelle Pfeiffer Says Robert De Niro Is Influential

    During Michelle Pfeiffer’s most recent film, The Family, she got to co-star alongside Robert De Niro, who she said had a great influence on the set.

    ”He’s a classic example of someone who’s iconic and effortlessly puts actors at ease the moment you meet him,” Pfeiffer said. “You just show up to the set and you’re part of a team and working together and supporting each other, and if everybody shows up with that attitude then everybody has a great time and the work is better as well.”

    While Pfeiffer says that De Niro was the greatest influence, another The Family co-star, Dianna Agron, says that both Pfeiffer and De Niro had positive impacts during their time on set.

    ”Everybody wants to do a good job and you want to make it believable so that involves speaking to each other, and not just in the scene because that would be really awkward!’ Agron continued, “‘I have heard of instances where people are asked not to talk to people, look them in the eye, or not wear purple, and other things like that.”

    Pfeiffer has always admired De Niro and even confessed to him that she auditioned for his 1980 film, Raging Bull. “I actually auditioned for Raging Bull, that was when I very first met you…I always dreamed of working with you [De Niro], so I was just very excited.”

    [Image via Twitter]

  • Robert De Niro Does Dramatic Reading Of “Wrecking Ball”

    Robert De Niro and his co-stars from “Last Vegas” sat down for an interview recently and were asked to read aloud the lyrics to the most popular songs right now. Obviously, that includes Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball”, and De Niro was tasked with reading a portion of the song aloud. He was asked to do it dramatically, but for some reason he didn’t seem to be putting his heart into it.

    De Niro’s co-stars–Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, and Michael Douglas–read “The Fox”, “Best Song Ever”, and “Chinese Food”, respectively.

    Cyrus, who found herself embroiled in a huge controversy after her MTV VMAs performance this September, has spoken out about the incident and says she can’t believe how big the incident became. Even now, several weeks afterward, the risque performance has the web buzzing.

    “I don’t pay attention to the negative because I’ve seen this play out so many times,” she said. “You’re thinking about it more than I thought about it when I did it. Like, I didn’t even think about it ’cause that’s just me! Me and Robin the whole time said, ‘You know we’re about to make history right now.’ What’s amazing is I think now, we’re three days later and people are still talking about it. They’re overthinking it,” she said.

    Cyrus beat out One Direction’s “Best Song Ever” on Vevo with “Wrecking Ball” earlier this year; 24 hours after it debuted, it had already amassed 10.9 million views.

    Image: YouTube