03 March 2024 , 09:00
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Robert De Niro has starred in a number of crime films, earning him a cool tough-guy persona - but is that what he's really like behind-the-scenes?
Actress Laura Ault doesn't think so. She starred alongside the Hollywood icon in his new film About My Father, in which he plays an old-school Italian immigrant father who is forced to spend a weekend with his son's soon-to-be in-laws.
Laura was delighted to get a role in the film, even more so when she realised she's be acting opposite both Robert and Sebastian Maniscalco. Speaking exclusively to The Mirror about the experience, the actress said: "I was like, 'This is unbelievable, dreams can happen, it can come true'.
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Laura Ault was able to meet her hero at work (Tommy Chung)
She had nothing but good things to say about Robert De Niro (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)"It was a small part but I still had to beat out who knows how many people just for this chance, so the experience was amazing." In one scene, Laura had to ride an elliptical bike uphill.
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She said: "We get on set and it was just such a great experience. It was a beautiful day and I had to ride this elliptical bike which was very, very heavy uphill in the sun, wearing like long sleeves and this whole workout gear.
"So, like two hours into it by this point, I'm just completely sweating from like every part of my body that I didn't even know I could sweat from. I'm like, 'This is great, this is how I wanna have my scene with him [De Niro]'.
The actor was described as very 'humble' (Publicity Picture)"And then afterwards when it finished, he came up over to me and he was like, 'It's such a pleasure working with you, you were amazing,' and I was like, 'Oh please you're amazing,' and he was just very humble and kind and they say never meet your heroes but he was an exception because he was such a delight."
Laura added: "The fact that I even had a moment to shake his hand and have a few brief sentences with him was such a big deal. It was a really special feeling, I wish we could have spent more time together.
"It was kind of unbelievable. He looks amazing in real life, he just is vibrant, he just has a glow about him. He’s a superstar." The actress was also able to meet Kim Cattrall while they were in hair and makeup together.
The Sex and the City star was another person Laura gushed over. She told us: "I'm in the hair and makeup room and I see Kim Cattrall sitting there and I was like, 'Oh my God it's Kim Cattrall,' but I'm like acting cool and she's like looking at me and I'm like looking at her but I don't wanna say anything because I don't wanna be like, 'Oh my God I love you,' just trying to act cool."