Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro shares words of wisdom

Robert De Niro says difficult actors should leave their ‘craziness’ at home. The screen legend — who has a reputation for being a perfectionist — insists problems should not be brought to the set and actors should be fully focused when they are at work. He said, “You can have integrity, but that doesn’t mean you are difficult. There is a difference. I don’t like it when any actor or even a crew member, brings their own craziness to the set. When you make a movie, everyone should leave their own personal problems at home. When they start bringing those to set, filming can be very difficult. You don’t need any extra drama. Put the drama into the story, in the characters.” De Niro, 64, also revealed how he based much of the character he plays in new movie What Just Happened? on his own life.

The actor — who plays fading Hollywood producer Ben who is trying to get his new movie made while going through his second divorce in the film — added, “There are characteristics that are very similar. It’s not me, but there are many things that are the same. If there are things I take from my own life, it’s because I feel that they are useful to the character I’m playing. I do that with every character I play.”