Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio on May 20, 2023, in Cannes, France.Photo:GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockLeonardo DiCapriois reflecting on his 30-year working relationship withRobert De Niro.The 49-year-old actor appeared Sunday on a panel with hisKillers of the Flower MooncostarLily Gladstone, where he opened up about how, in a sense, the relationship between his and De Niro’s characters mirrors that of their roles in 1993’sThis Boy’s Life.“I happened to have done a film [titled]This Boy’s Lifewhere I had an abusive stepfather in De Niro. So it was this insanely coincidental, full circle, sort of similar relationship,” DiCaprio said during the Q&A session with Gladstone, 37, following a screening of the film in Hollywood, California.“It felt like I was stepping into the same or a similar character 30 years later, grown up,” theAcademy Awardwinner continued. “[De Niro] was still [playing] this abusive character. He was the abusive stepfather.“Of his own character inKillers of the Flower Moon, DiCaprio said, “Developing Ernest was interesting because out of all the stuff that I researched — all his writings, all the testimony, speaking to relatives in Oklahoma — the one resounding consistent element was that this man was quite slow and easily manipulated, that [De Niro’s character] Hale had this mental stronghold over him.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio inKillers of the Flower Moon(2023).Paramount PicturesDiCaprio also talked about the “reverence” for the “dual relationship between actor and filmmaker” that he had for De Niro, 80, and directorMartin Scorsesewhen he was growing up in Los Angeles, calling it “on the uppermost tier of echelons for young actors.““It’s all we spoke about in our younger age,” the actor continued. “And to be able to have gotten to have my first opportunity working with Mr. De Niro onThis Boy’s Life, and then have him refer me to Marty saying, ‘Here’s this kid, I just worked with him.’ And then having done, what is it, six films with [Scorsese] now? Something like that.““And then 30 years later now, getting to work with both of them,my two sort of cinematic heroes, and creating this entire story and narrative in these characters was, needless to say, one of the highlights of my entire career and life,” he added.Killers of the Flower Moonmarks the first film De Niro and DiCaprio have starred in together for Scorsese, 81. But afterThis Boy’s Life, they also appeared together three years later, in 1996’sMarvin’s Room.Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro inThis Boy’s Life(1993).Warner Bros/Kobal/ShutterstockDiCaprio went on to discuss how “fascinating” it was to watch the “process” of longtime collaborators De Niro and Scorsese, and to see how “different” their professional dynamic is compared to his own with Scorsese.“Marty and I have our own sort of relationship. We talk about things in great length, in great detail. Wethrow things out. [Scorsese and De Niro] have this almost instinctual connection that is almost hard to describe,” he explained.The actor praised Scorsese’s effort on one particularKillers of the Flower Moonscene between his and De Niro’s characters as “mesmerizing,” noting how the filmmaker “wanted it to be as real as possible.““I’ve never seen him more completely obsessed with getting to the truth of a story,” DiCaprio said. “He so wanted to tell the story correctly. He felt an incredible, incredible responsibility, especially after meetingthe Osage community and tellingthis lost chapter in their history.“Killers of the Flower Moonis now playing in theaters.
Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio on May 20, 2023, in Cannes, France.Photo:GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Leonardo DiCapriois reflecting on his 30-year working relationship withRobert De Niro.The 49-year-old actor appeared Sunday on a panel with hisKillers of the Flower MooncostarLily Gladstone, where he opened up about how, in a sense, the relationship between his and De Niro’s characters mirrors that of their roles in 1993’sThis Boy’s Life.“I happened to have done a film [titled]This Boy’s Lifewhere I had an abusive stepfather in De Niro. So it was this insanely coincidental, full circle, sort of similar relationship,” DiCaprio said during the Q&A session with Gladstone, 37, following a screening of the film in Hollywood, California.“It felt like I was stepping into the same or a similar character 30 years later, grown up,” theAcademy Awardwinner continued. “[De Niro] was still [playing] this abusive character. He was the abusive stepfather.“Of his own character inKillers of the Flower Moon, DiCaprio said, “Developing Ernest was interesting because out of all the stuff that I researched — all his writings, all the testimony, speaking to relatives in Oklahoma — the one resounding consistent element was that this man was quite slow and easily manipulated, that [De Niro’s character] Hale had this mental stronghold over him.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio inKillers of the Flower Moon(2023).Paramount PicturesDiCaprio also talked about the “reverence” for the “dual relationship between actor and filmmaker” that he had for De Niro, 80, and directorMartin Scorsesewhen he was growing up in Los Angeles, calling it “on the uppermost tier of echelons for young actors.““It’s all we spoke about in our younger age,” the actor continued. “And to be able to have gotten to have my first opportunity working with Mr. De Niro onThis Boy’s Life, and then have him refer me to Marty saying, ‘Here’s this kid, I just worked with him.’ And then having done, what is it, six films with [Scorsese] now? Something like that.““And then 30 years later now, getting to work with both of them,my two sort of cinematic heroes, and creating this entire story and narrative in these characters was, needless to say, one of the highlights of my entire career and life,” he added.Killers of the Flower Moonmarks the first film De Niro and DiCaprio have starred in together for Scorsese, 81. But afterThis Boy’s Life, they also appeared together three years later, in 1996’sMarvin’s Room.Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro inThis Boy’s Life(1993).Warner Bros/Kobal/ShutterstockDiCaprio went on to discuss how “fascinating” it was to watch the “process” of longtime collaborators De Niro and Scorsese, and to see how “different” their professional dynamic is compared to his own with Scorsese.“Marty and I have our own sort of relationship. We talk about things in great length, in great detail. Wethrow things out. [Scorsese and De Niro] have this almost instinctual connection that is almost hard to describe,” he explained.The actor praised Scorsese’s effort on one particularKillers of the Flower Moonscene between his and De Niro’s characters as “mesmerizing,” noting how the filmmaker “wanted it to be as real as possible.““I’ve never seen him more completely obsessed with getting to the truth of a story,” DiCaprio said. “He so wanted to tell the story correctly. He felt an incredible, incredible responsibility, especially after meetingthe Osage community and tellingthis lost chapter in their history.“Killers of the Flower Moonis now playing in theaters.
Leonardo DiCapriois reflecting on his 30-year working relationship withRobert De Niro.
The 49-year-old actor appeared Sunday on a panel with hisKillers of the Flower MooncostarLily Gladstone, where he opened up about how, in a sense, the relationship between his and De Niro’s characters mirrors that of their roles in 1993’sThis Boy’s Life.
“I happened to have done a film [titled]This Boy’s Lifewhere I had an abusive stepfather in De Niro. So it was this insanely coincidental, full circle, sort of similar relationship,” DiCaprio said during the Q&A session with Gladstone, 37, following a screening of the film in Hollywood, California.
“It felt like I was stepping into the same or a similar character 30 years later, grown up,” theAcademy Awardwinner continued. “[De Niro] was still [playing] this abusive character. He was the abusive stepfather.”
Of his own character inKillers of the Flower Moon, DiCaprio said, “Developing Ernest was interesting because out of all the stuff that I researched — all his writings, all the testimony, speaking to relatives in Oklahoma — the one resounding consistent element was that this man was quite slow and easily manipulated, that [De Niro’s character] Hale had this mental stronghold over him.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio inKillers of the Flower Moon(2023).Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
DiCaprio also talked about the “reverence” for the “dual relationship between actor and filmmaker” that he had for De Niro, 80, and directorMartin Scorsesewhen he was growing up in Los Angeles, calling it “on the uppermost tier of echelons for young actors.”
“It’s all we spoke about in our younger age,” the actor continued. “And to be able to have gotten to have my first opportunity working with Mr. De Niro onThis Boy’s Life, and then have him refer me to Marty saying, ‘Here’s this kid, I just worked with him.’ And then having done, what is it, six films with [Scorsese] now? Something like that.”
“And then 30 years later now, getting to work with both of them,my two sort of cinematic heroes, and creating this entire story and narrative in these characters was, needless to say, one of the highlights of my entire career and life,” he added.
Killers of the Flower Moonmarks the first film De Niro and DiCaprio have starred in together for Scorsese, 81. But afterThis Boy’s Life, they also appeared together three years later, in 1996’sMarvin’s Room.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro inThis Boy’s Life(1993).Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock
Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock
DiCaprio went on to discuss how “fascinating” it was to watch the “process” of longtime collaborators De Niro and Scorsese, and to see how “different” their professional dynamic is compared to his own with Scorsese.
“Marty and I have our own sort of relationship. We talk about things in great length, in great detail. Wethrow things out. [Scorsese and De Niro] have this almost instinctual connection that is almost hard to describe,” he explained.
The actor praised Scorsese’s effort on one particularKillers of the Flower Moonscene between his and De Niro’s characters as “mesmerizing,” noting how the filmmaker “wanted it to be as real as possible.”
“I’ve never seen him more completely obsessed with getting to the truth of a story,” DiCaprio said. “He so wanted to tell the story correctly. He felt an incredible, incredible responsibility, especially after meetingthe Osage community and tellingthis lost chapter in their history.”
Killers of the Flower Moonis now playing in theaters.
source: people.com
