72-year-old Robert De Niro walked out of an interview, for The Intern, with the Radio Times over questions he said had a “negative inference.” He asked the recorder to be paused, got out of his chair, paced around like a raging bull (I’m sorry) before ending the interview and sticking his head out the door to find someone to take him out.
What got De Niro’s jimmies rustled? Interviewer Emma Brockes asked De Niro (Meet the Fockers) how he kept from going into “autopilot” while acting and mentioned that Tribeca, where the film festival he founded is held, had been overrun by bankers.
De Niro (Analyze That) felt she was insinuating he’s been on autopilot for the twilight of his career. At first, Brockes asked if it was her banker comment. De Niro (Little Fockers) told Brockes, “All the way through. Negative inference.” Pressing De Niro (The Big Wedding) again about what he was talking about, he went on, “The whole way through and I’m not doing it. I’m not doing it, darling.”
Brockes asked De Niro (Grudge Match) to explain what was negative. De Niro (Killer Elite) replied, “The question about being on autopilot – negative inference.”
Brockes argued that she was asking the opposite and was implying he wasn’t on autopilot, but it was too late. “There’s a negative inference,” he repeated.
She admits she eventually “lost her cool” telling De Niro he was being very condescending. “Oh, you think ‘darling’ is condescending,” said De Niro before he cut the interview short.