Support The Moscow Times!

Robert De Niro Says 'Maybe' to Russian Citizenship

U.S. actor Robert de Niro poses with a glove at a news conference during opening of Nobu restaurant in Moscow, Russia, Nov. 9, 2015. Ivan Burnyashev / Reuters

On a visit to Moscow to promote the opening of his new sushi restaurant, U.S. actor Robert De Niro said "maybe" to the question of whether he would like to receive Russian citizenship, the TASS news agency reported.

The 72-year-old actor kept reporters waiting for 90 minutes before making an appearance at the Crocus City mall in the Moscow region city of Krasnogorsk, TASS reported. When asked if he would like to request Russian citizenship — as French actor Gerard Depardieu and U.S. boxer Roy Jones Jr. did before him — De Niro said: “Maybe. … As you can imagine, this is a complicated situation, so we'll see,” TASS reported Monday.

De Niro was visiting Russia to promote the opening of a new branch of Nobu, an upscale sushi restaurant chain he co-owns, the TASS news agency reported Monday.

De Niro last visited Russia in 2009, when the first Moscow branch of Nobu opened on Bolshaya Dmitrovka Ulitsa.

The American actor and businessman first visited Moscow in 1987 when he led the jury at the Moscow International Film Festival. The actor's most famous films include “Once Upon a Time in America,” “The Godfather,” “Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull” and “Meet the Parents.”

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more