De Niro in Rome, 'Hope comes from Mamdani'

"People have begun to understand, I kept repeating 'let's hope, let's hope, let's hope.' I used this term, 'let's hope it happens, let's hope something changes, let's hope they finally block him,' but he (Trump, ed.) has always managed to somehow evade condemnation. Now, with the election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York, the time has come to take this country back." Robert De Niro spoke these words in Rome, at the Fiamma cinema.

And this on the occasion of the inauguration of the Nobu Hotel on Via Veneto, the first Italian property of the chain of which he is co-owner with two partners, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Meir Teper.

And the actor continued: "Mamdani is young, and I hope he can accomplish what he has in mind. He has the energy, and in a certain sense, he even challenged the president himself because he said, 'Okay, come, we're ready, we're here, come and get us.' We need to be able to get rid of this horrible, monstrous president. As an American, I'm embarrassed to be represented by such a figure."

In the morning, De Niro was presented with the Capitoline Wolf by Mayor Roberto Gualtieri in a closed-door ceremony at the Capitoline Hill. Then, in the afternoon, he attended the saké ceremony at Nobu, officially marking the opening of the restaurant. "Many American films," De Niro emphasized during the ceremony at the Capitoline Hill, "were shot here by great directors. Rome was a bit like the Hollywood on the Tiber and truly deserved this title. And then I can't forget all the time I spent in this city and other places in Italy, including Venice, so as not to have a special relationship with your country."

The actor is expected at the screening of Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America" ​​at the Cinema Moderno on Friday, introduced by De Niro himself and Walter Veltroni. The event is part of the Fuori Sala (Out of the Hall) program, created by Alice nella città. "I've been haunted by the idea of ​​participating in this project," he said, speaking about the cult film. "I'd met Sergio Leone several years earlier, and he'd already had this idea in mind for a long time, and finally I said, 'OK, I want to read the book (by Harry Grey, Feltrinelli, ed.) on which this story is based.' I thought it was all very beautiful, and then it turned out I'd actually read that book when I was a teenager, and it had struck a chord with me, especially because it was written by someone with firsthand knowledge of what he was talking about: the Jewish community and its gangsters. Of course, Sergio Leone had transformed it into something his own, he had personalized it, he was just like that, he was always someone I really liked."

And Rome? "I love Rome so much, and its people even more. It's always been a great pleasure to come to this city. It's important to remember that so many films have been shot here; it's a bit like Hollywood, but Rome is certainly Rome." And again, receiving the Capitoline Wolf: "Rome is a living work of art. Every street, every stone, every meal tells a story. To be recognized here, in a place that has given so much to the world in culture, cinema, and beauty, is truly moving. My family has roots in Italy, so this recognition has a personal meaning for me. I receive this honor with immense gratitude, not only for myself, but for all those who continue to be touched by the spirit of Rome and what it represents."