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De Niro Improvises Iconic Line, Scorsese Highlights Pandemic Loneliness

6/7/2026

35 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

De Niro Recites

Robert De Niro recited the line “You talkin’ to me?” at a Tribeca screening of Taxi Driver on June 5 2026.
He said the line was improvised and does not appear in Paul Schrader’s original script.
The discussion panel featured director Martin Scorsese, actress Jodie Foster, screenwriter Paul Schrader and comedian W. Kamau Bell.
Scorsese argued that the film’s universal loneliness feels relevant today because of the internet and the pandemic.

Summary

Foster Unzips

Jodie Foster said Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro giggled while telling her to unzip his fly.
Jodie Foster insisted on pulling down the fly herself, drawing on eight years of Disney experience.
At a panel, Jodie Foster joked Paul Schrader answered without a microphone, claiming he might be sitting on it.
Jodie Foster said seeing Robert De Niro in Mean Streets sparked her desire to work with him and taught improvisation.

History

Historical Context

Martin Scorsese directed the 1976 New York drama Taxi Driver, starring Robert De Niro, and the iconic film later ranked 52 on AFI’s 100 Greatest American Films. In 2026, a Tribeca panel with Scorsese, De Niro, Jodie Foster and Paul Schrader revisited that era, reflecting a career that now includes twenty-six narrative features.

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De Niro Recites

Robert De Niro recited the line “You talkin’ to me?” at a Tribeca screening of Taxi Driver on June 5 2026.
He said the line was improvised and does not appear in Paul Schrader’s original script.
The discussion panel featured director Martin Scorsese, actress Jodie Foster, screenwriter Paul Schrader and comedian W. Kamau Bell.
Scorsese argued that the film’s universal loneliness feels relevant today because of the internet and the pandemic.

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