Robert De Niro Defends ‘The Irishman’ as Critics Challenge Former Delco Mobster’s Hoffa Claim
Robert De Niro is pushing back against criticism that Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” is inaccurate.
De Niro plays former Delaware County mobster Frank Sheeran, who has claimed he killed Jimmy Hoffa in a Detroit home.
“We’re not saying we’re telling the actual story,” De Niro told IndieWire. “We’re telling our story.”
The Steven Zaillian screenplay is based on “I Heard You Paint Houses,” by Charles Brandt, who interviewed Sheeran about his role in Hoffa’s disappearance.
FBI members and investigative reporters have denied Sheeran’s claim.
Hoffa’s body was never discovered and his blood wasn’t found in the house where Sheeran says he shot him.
Hoffa investigator Dan Moldea warned De NIro not to make “The Irishman” because Sheeran’s story is not true.
Through it all, Robert De Niro stands by “The Irishman” and his role in it.
“I know one thing — I know all the stuff that Frank said, the descriptions of the places he was at, the way he talked, that’s all real. The way he describes what happened to Hoffa is a very plausible thing to me. I’d love to hear what actually happened to him. But this made a lot of sense to me.”
Read more of De Niro’s comments here.
Editor’s Note: This post first appeared Nov. 16, 2019
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