Back in the ’90s, Robert De Niro’s trip to France took a shocking turn—one he vowed never to repeat. After a scandal shook up Paris, the Raging Bull star found himself in a nine-hour grilling session with French authorities. The issue? A connection to an investigation that left him fuming.
De Niro fiercely denied the claims, vowing he’d never set foot in France again. What started as a glamorous getaway ended in a headline-grabbing ordeal, adding a wild chapter to the legendary actor’s life that’s still buzzing decades later.
Robert De Niro’s Parisian Nightmare: Nine-Hour Interrogation Over Prostitution Claims
“His name was mentioned by one of the call girls”—a line that landed Robert De Niro in hot water in Paris back in 1998. The Taxi Driver star was taken in by French authorities for a grueling nine-hour interrogation over alleged ties to a prostitution ring. Per BBC News:
The magistrate wanted to speak to De Niro after his name was mentioned by one of the call girls.
The evidence? A call girl had reportedly mentioned his name in passing. De Niro, who had just arrived for a film shoot, was blindsided—and furious. “I will never return to France,” he vowed to Le Monde afterward, making it clear the experience left a bad taste.
Just a year earlier, De Niro had been awarded the Legion of Honour, France’s most prestigious decoration, but after this “humiliating” incident, he wanted nothing to do with it. Calling out France for failing to live up to its own ideals, he alluded:
I don’t see any reason why I should hang on to that thing which comes from a country which flouts its own motto ‘liberty, equality, and fraternity.
Though De Niro’s A-list status shielded his career, he stuck by his vow for over a decade. But time heals—or at least mellows. In 2011, De Niro returned to French soil, accepting the role of jury president at the Cannes Film Festival.
Still, his run-in with Parisian law left a memorable chapter in his storied life, a rare moment when the grit of his on-screen characters bled a little into his off-screen world. From Raging Bull to The Irishman, De Niro’s real-life drama added another layer to the legend.
Hollywood Meets Philly: De Niro Joins Eagles Fans to Boost Voter Support
Eagles fans were in for a shocker Sunday, Nov. 3, when none other than The Godfather Part II star Robert De Niro strolled into their pre-game tailgate.
The Oscar-winning legend didn’t just come to mingle—he arrived with former Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan to rally voter support for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee.
Photos and videos lit up social media, showing the 81-year-old actor chatting with fans decked out in Eagles green. As Michael Embrich, part of the group, posted, “Honored to join De Niro… let’s get out the vote for Kamala Harris!”
