Robert De Niro Reveals Why He Dropped Out of the Lead in 'Big' | THR News - video Dailymotion

The 1988 film was directed by the late Penny Marshall and stars Tom Hanks.

Transcript

00:00In the 1988 movie Big, you were originally cast as Josh, the role that ended up going to Tom

00:05Hanks. Is that true? Yes. The 1988 classic Big starring Tom Hanks was a box office and critical

00:14success, even earning Hanks an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. However, a little-known fact is

00:19that the role almost went to none other than Robert De Niro. On Monday, De Niro dropped by

00:24The Tonight Show, where he was asked a few true or false questions by host Jimmy Fallon. One of

00:29the questions brought up was his involvement in the 1988 classic, directed by the late Penny

00:33Marshall. De Niro, shocking some in the late-night audience, said it was actually true. He was

00:38indeed cast to play Josh, the lead version of a teen who makes a wish to instantly become an adult.

00:44We had a thing, an issue with the negotiation, so-and-so it went the way it went, but that was

00:50fine. Other true or false questions the actor addressed was that before playing the young

00:55Vito Corleone in the Godfather films, he originally auditioned to play Sonny Corleone,

00:59in the original film, true, and that he ad-libbed his arguably most iconic line in any of his films.

01:05You talking to me? You talking to me?

01:11De Niro said that ad-libbing the iconic taxi driver line was more or less true,

01:15true, and the line he gets most from his fans. A bunch of kids pull up next to me. I remember years

01:21ago in L.A. down in the valley or somewhere in Culver City, kids pull up next to me in a red light,

01:26and they say you're talking to me. I don't know how they recognize me or whatever.

01:30To watch more from Robert De Niro's Tonight Show appearance, head to THR.com.

01:34For The Hollywood Reporter News, I'm Neha Joy.