Robert De Niro claims anti-Trump remarks in speech were edited
At the 2023 Gotham Awards on Monday (local time), acclaimed actor Robert De Niro expressed his dismay and confusion when he discovered that portions of his speech had been edited without his knowledge. De Niro was there to present the Historical Icon and Creator Tribute award for Martin Scorsese's film, Killers of the Flower Moon, in which he co-starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone. Here's what happened.
Actor began reading his speech, realized it had been censored
When De Niro began to read his speech, he noticed it had been censored. He stated, "The beginning of my speech was edited, cut out, and I didn't know about it. And I want to read it." He went on to read the original speech which included several political comments and anti-Donald Trump (former US President) remarks. "History isn't history anymore. Truth isn't truth, and even facts are being replaced by alternative facts and driven by conspiracy theories and ugliness."
'With all of his lies, he can't hide his soul'
In his unedited speech, De Niro criticized Trump for lying over 30,000 times during his term and attacking vulnerable people. He stated, "With all of his lies, he can't hide his soul." This isn't the first time the Goodfellas actor has spoken against Trump. He previously compared his presidency to "an abusive relationship" and infamously yelled "F*** Trump" at the 2018 Tony Awards.
Veteran actor seemingly blamed Apple for the editing
After delivering his speech, De Niro seemed to hold Apple responsible for the edits. "I'm gonna say these things, but to Apple and thank them and all that, Gothams, blah, blah, blah, Apple...but I don't feel like thanking them at all for what they did. How dare they do that, actually." "..Now I will go to: Accept the award for Killers of the Flower Moon." His latest film is backed by Apple and distributed by Apple TV+.
De Niro vs Trump: Their prolonged feud
The actor's critical remarks toward the former president are hardly a recent development, as he has been a vocal critic of Trump since the onset of the 2016 campaign. Several months before the 2016 election, De Niro, along with other celebrities, highlighted the perceived absurdity of Trump's campaign. Following Trump's electoral triumph, De Niro remarked, "He's president now...half the country is horrified." Trump once took to X/Twitter, suggesting that De Niro was "brain-damaged."
Quick look at the big winners of 2023 Gotham Awards
At the 33rd annual Gotham Awards, Past Lives—a poignant portrayal of a young Korean immigrant navigating unexplored paths—clinched the Best Feature honor. Anatomy of a Fall secured two awards for Best International Feature and Best Screenplay. In the TV realm, Netflix's Beef dominated with two wins.
