Robert De Niro Quite Literally Disappeared Into His Latest Role

We’re less than a month out from Killers of the Flower Moon stating its Oscars case with American audiences, and what a case it is. The Academy tends to listen whenever Martin Scorsese steps behind the camera, and with leads Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone teasing a gravitas worthy of such an important story, it’s no unsafe bet to say that Killers of the Flower Moon has some of the healthiest awards season legs this year.

But even with Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay in its sights, Killers of the Flower Moon isn’t stopping there, with one Robert De Niro apparently having played antagonist William Hale so well that even those who know De Niro personally had trouble realizing that it was him under that fedora and heinous deplorability.

Speaking to ET Online at the New York City premiere of Killers of the Flower Moon, Scorsese recalled a number of his and De Niro’s friends taking over half of the film’s runtime to realize that the About My Father star was the one portraying William Hale; a great compliment to receive as an actor, perhaps less so if it’s coming from your friends.

For him to take on a character like this, there are friends of mine who saw the film and have known Bob for years… they told me after seeing the film that for the first half hour and 40 minutes they didn’t realize it was Bob. And they know him! It’s hysterical. I said, ‘You must be joking.’ No! They thought it was somebody [else].

Then again, considering how irrevocably evil of a character William Hale is, becoming unrecognizable in such a role probably makes for a hefty compliment across the board, no matter who it comes from, and while it’s hard to say whether the Academy will bite a possible Best Supporting Actor submission, the subsequent nomination would be one of the biggest compliments of all.

Killers of the Flower Moon drops into theaters on October 20.

(featured image: Paramount Pictures)