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.