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The “hysterical” 2008 movie scene Robert De Niro could barely shoot: “It cracked me up every time”
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.
In short
- 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
Explained simply
"What Just Happened" is a 2008 satirical drama about the entertainment industry that starred Robert De Niro. The film featured various comedic scenes designed to satirise Hollywood and its workings.
De Niro struggled to film one particular comedic scene because he found it so amusing that he repeatedly laughed uncontrollably between takes. The scene involved a line about a Disney character setting itself on fire, which he found hysterical and difficult to deliver with a straight face.
The film was a commercial failure, earning only $6.7 million at the box office against a $25 million budget and receiving negative reviews. This represented a low point during a challenging period in De Niro's career in the late 2000s, before he found renewed success with subsequent projects.