# The “hysterical” 2008 movie scene Robert De Niro could barely shoot: “It cracked me up every time”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-hysterical-2008-movie-scene-robert-de-niro-could-barely-shoot-it-cracked-me-up-every-time/
- Published: 2026-07-11T01:30:00+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-hysterical-2008-movie-scene-robert-de-niro-could-barely-shoot/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film

## Key points

- De Niro found a scene involving a Disney character self-immolating so amusing he repeatedly broke character during filming of 2008's "What Just Happened"
- The film flopped commercially, earning just $6.7 million against a $25 million budget despite a star-studded cast including Bruce Willis and Sean Penn

## Summary

Robert De Niro starred in the 2008 satirical drama "What Just Happened," which featured a comedic scene he found unexpectedly difficult to film due to uncontrollable laughter. A particular line involving a Disney character setting itself ablaze proved so amusing to De Niro that he struggled repeatedly to deliver it with a straight face during shooting, later recalling that the moment "cracked [him] up every time."

The film proved to be a commercial disappointment despite its ensemble cast of established actors, earning only $6.7 million at the box office against its $25 million budget whilst receiving negative critical reviews. The underperformance represented part of a challenging stretch in De Niro's career during the late 2000s, a commercial drought he would eventually reverse with the blockbuster success of "Little Fockers" in 2010.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.