Robert De Niro denies rumors about Uber and 'Taxi Driver' after several days of criticism and ridicule

The screenwriter Paul Schrader It was screaming, moviegoers around the world were tearing their hair out and, in general, a feeling of disbelief reigned. It was no wonder, given the news that Robert De Niro He was going to play his character again. Taxi Driver… in an advertisement for Uber.

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However, for everyone’s peace of mind, both the actor (who will soon release The assassins of the moon, his new movie with Martin Scorsese) like VTC service They have denied the news in separate statements.

On the one hand, Uber’s message (via Variety) acknowledges that De Niro is filming an ad for them in the United Kingdom, with a view to a campaign that will be launched at the end of the year. Stan Rosenfield, spokesman for the actor, clarifies that he will not play Travis Bickle in the spot, nor will he use the taxi driver’s most emblematic phrase: “Are you talking with me?” (“You talkin’ to me?” in English).

“If I’m lucky, I won’t see it,” says Paul Schrader

The original news, released by the tabloid The Sun, claimed that De Niro (80 years old) had agreed to film the advertisement to pay for the divorce from his second wife, Melissa Hightower. Because of the separation, the actor has had to sell a house valued at 20 million dollars, and will have to pay his ex a million dollars a year in pension until she remarries or one of them dies.

The hoax spread like wildfire, and Paul Schrader (screenwriter of Taxi Driver, prestigious director and full-time grump) echoed him on his Facebook with his characteristic bad attitude. “Ouch. I have no idea why Bob would do something like that,” the screenwriter wrote. “But I haven’t seen it, and if I’m lucky, I never will.”

At the moment, and no matter how much financial trouble his divorce causes him, it seems that De Niro is not willing to turn one of his best roles into advertising. And thank goodness, because Travis is the last person we would want to see behind the wheel of a rental car: he drives however he drives, Let’s see who dares to give it a bad rating.

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