Film icon Robert De Niro had some scene-stealing moments in court on Tuesday, including an exchange in which he admitted to insisting a former assistant scratch his back.
In a civil trial pitting the “Killers of the Flower Moon” star against ex-staffer Graham Chase Robinson, De Niro was asked about the request after Robinson’s attorney alleged in opening arguments the actor would tell her he liked the way she did it when she declined.
“You got me! I’m saying this is nonsense,” De Niro proclaimed on the stand, per People. “It was never done with any disrespect.”
De Niro added, “Every little thing she’s trying to get me on is nonsense! Shame on you, Chase Robinson.”
The line of questioning was a nod to Robinson’s discrimination suit against De Niro, claiming he subjected her to menial tasks because of her gender. De Niro originally sued Robinson, accusing her of stealing millions of frequent flyer miles from his Canal production company and funneling funds to cover personal expenses.
De Niro apparently did not come off as a good fella in a few other moments as well on the stand.
While claiming he was “never abusive” toward Robinson, he said he may have called her a “fucking spoiled brat” after he missed an appointment because she failed to wake him up, the New York Post reported. “Yeah, fine, I berated her,” he said at one point, per People.
The Oscar-winning “Raging Bull” star also copped to possibly asking Robinson to Uber him a martini from Nobu at 11 p.m., according to the tabloid. He also said it was feasible that he called her twice while she was at her grandmother’s funeral to buy a bus ticket for his son. Speaking to the claim, he said, “So?”
Robinson has yet to take the stand.
