Amy Poehler brought Robert De Niro to tears near the end of his September 15 appearance on Good Hang with Amy Poehler after thanking him for using his public platform to speak about political and social issues.
Poehler told De Niro that younger people, women and people of color are often expected to challenge people in positions of power without having the same security or influence. She said seeing someone with his career and status speak publicly meant something to her.
De Niro quietly thanked her and began tearing up. Poehler noticed immediately. “I can’t believe I just made you cry,” she said before reaching for a box of Good Hang tissues and passing them across the table.
Poehler then asked what De Niro would tell people who feel too hopeless to act. He encouraged people to keep fighting, connect with others and resist becoming paralyzed by discouragement.
Poehler Thanked De Niro for Speaking Publicly About Politics
Poehler focused her comments on the influence De Niro has accumulated over more than five decades in film. She contrasted his position with people who may face greater professional or personal risks when speaking publicly about political issues.
She compared the country to a wedding where someone is giving an inappropriate speech and another adult eventually steps in to say the behavior is unacceptable. Entertainment Weekly reported that Poehler’s comments referred in part to De Niro’s repeated public criticism of Donald Trump and his political advocacy.
Poehler told De Niro that seeing a person of his age and stature continue to speak out could provide reassurance to people with less influence. De Niro listened quietly before becoming visibly emotional.
The exchange followed years of public political comments from De Niro, who has frequently discussed national politics during interviews, speeches and public appearances. Poehler centered her remarks on his willingness to continue making those views public despite already having an established career and prominent position in the entertainment industry.
De Niro Told People Feeling Hopeless That They Have to Fight
Poehler asked De Niro what he would tell someone who feels overwhelmed or hopeless about the state of the country and no longer believes that taking action will accomplish anything.
“You have to fight,” De Niro said. He encouraged people to join with others rather than withdraw on their own and referenced U.S. Rep. Jason Crow’s phrase “courage is contagious.”
De Niro said fear, anger and other negative emotions can spread among people in much the same way. His response focused on collective action and refusing to give in to feelings of helplessness, reflecting his own political perspective rather than offering a prediction about where the country is headed.
Poehler told him that seeing influential people take public stands can make it easier for others to feel capable of doing the same. De Niro answered, “I hope,” before noting his recent reluctance to rely on that word.
De Niro had discussed the subject of hope several days earlier while promoting Tribeca 25. At a September 10 event, he said he had become less interested in simply hoping circumstances would improve and more focused on the need for people to act. His comments during Good Hang continued that theme.
The Episode Also Covered SNL, His Family and ‘Focker-In-Law’
Before De Niro joined Poehler, she spoke with Rachel Dratch, Seth Meyers and his longtime producing partner Jane Rosenthal about what to expect from an interview with an actor famous for concise answers. Meyers told Poehler that De Niro gives good answers but tends to stop speaking once he believes he has made his point.
Once De Niro arrived, the conversation ranged from viral thirst-trap edits featuring footage of his younger self to Saturday Night Live, Martin Scorsese, his children and his return as Jack Byrnes in Focker-In-Law.
The new installment in the Meet the Parents franchise reunites De Niro with Ben Stiller and also stars Ariana Grande, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Skyler Gisondo and Beanie Feldstein. Universal Pictures will release the comedy in theaters on November 25.
De Niro’s appearance also promoted Tribeca 25, Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary about the Tribeca Festival and its origins following the September 11 attacks. De Niro, Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff founded the festival as part of efforts to help revitalize Lower Manhattan.
The documentary chronicles the festival’s development over the following 25 years and its growth into an international film event while examining the role that movies and storytelling played in bringing audiences back downtown.
Tribeca 25 began streaming on Netflix on September 11.