Robert De Niro tells fans 'don't hold it against me' after starring in Warbutons advert

The infamous advert was a take on De Niro's film GoodFellas
Isobel Frodsham29 October 2019
The Weekender

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Robert De Niro has revealed why he agreed to star in an advertisement for Warbutons bakery.

The veteran actor, 76, stunned fans by taking part in the campaign earlier this year.

The ad sees De Niro and his “New York associates” heading over from the Big Apple to confront chairman Jonathan Warburton after hearing about the new bagels.

De Niro hatches a plan to take over the company by slapping labels reading “GoodBagels” on all of the packaging, in a nod to his role as Tommy DeVito in 1990 hit GoodFellas.

Robert De Niro in Warburtons advert

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De Niro has now spoken about the advert – telling people “not to hold it against him”.

He told British GQ: “Look, they asked me to do it and I met the guy, Warburton, and I thought it was funny.

“I saw [Sylvester] Stallone do it and I thought at least he has a sense of humour about it and about himself. And I thought I can look at it two ways.

He added: "Should I think I should never have done that? I’m too good for that or something? And I said, 'f**k it, I’ll do it.' Why not? Don’t hold it against me.”

Stallone – who starred with De Niro in 1997 film Cop Land and 2013 flick Grudge Match – parodied his own movie, The Expendables, for a Warbutons advert in 2015.

It saw a battle ready Sly lead a team of drivers called The Deliverers who battle against the odds to deliver their produce.

See the full interview in the December issue of British GQ available via digital download and newsstands on Friday, November 1.

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