One legend to another!
Leonardo DiCaprio presented a prestigious Palme d'Or awad to Robert De Niro at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival's opening ceremony on Tuesday, May 13.
Before presenting him with the award at the Grand Lumiére theater, the Titanic actor delivered an emotional tribute to De Niro, recalling how his breakthrough came when he was cast alongside him in 1993's This Boy's Life.
"The audition process was a tough one. There's lots of competition. None of us knew who would get the part," he recalled.
The 50-year-old actor continued, "And at 15 or 16 years old, I did the only thing I could think to stand out: I screamed at him at the top of my lungs. The room burst into laughter. Later that day, as the story goes, Bob was getting on his plane with a producer, [who] asked, 'Who do you want to play the part?' And in classic De Niro fashion, he replied, 'Second kid from the last.' "
"Luckily, that second kid was me," he said, adding, "And that moment changed my life forever, started my entire career in the world of cinema.”
DiCaprio further praised De Niro’s influence on cinema, highlighting his notable films like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull made with Martin Scorsese.
“There is no one more deserving of this Palm d'Or lifetime achievement award than Mr. Robert De Niro. Congratulations,” he added.
Robert De Niro’s award acceptance speech
In his acceptance speech, De Niro expressed gratitude to DiCaprio and the Cannes audience.
He also used the platform to criticize U.S. President Donald Trump, referring to him as a "philistine president.”
The 78th edition of the French film festival opened with a starry ceremony on Tuesday evening in the southern French resort town of Cannes.
