Robert De Niro Slams Donald Trump at Killers Flower Moon Cannes Press Conference

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Robert De Niro slammed Donald Trump as a “stupid” man at the Cannes Film Festival press conference for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” comparing the former president to the crooked power player he portrays in Martin’s crime epic Scorsese, which premiered Saturday night.

De Niro admitted that he had a hard time connecting with William Hale, saying “I don’t really understand my character. There’s a part of him that’s sincere. The other part, where he betrays [the Osage tribe], have a sense of entitlement. We became more aware [of that dichotomy] after George Floyd with systemic racism.”

De Niro drew parallels between his character and Donald Trump, whose name the actor initially refused to say out loud during the press conference. “That guy is stupid,” he said of the former president. Lily Gladstone, who plays Osage tribal member Mollie Burkhart, points out that Osage members still attend William Hale’s funeral, in denial of his involvement in the brutal murders of tribal members. De Niro, once again, blasted Trump in response to that kind of blind loyalty to the bad guys. “There are people who still think he can do well. Think how crazy that is.”

In the case of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Scorsese’s longtime collaborator DiCaprio praised the director’s ability to capture that kind of sanctity of evil. “What Marty does so well is he’s able to expose the humanity of even the most twisted, evil characters you can imagine.”

“Killers of the Flower Moon,” one of the most star-studded films to play at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, tells the story of the murders that took place in the early 1920s after the discovery of large oil deposits in the land of the Osage nation. It also describes how the newly formed FBI investigated the murders.

At Saturday night’s star-studded premiere, Scorsese was joined on the famous red carpet by A-listers Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons and Lily Gladstone, as well as members of the Osage nation. Before they entered the Palais, DiCaprio and Scorsese dutifully signed autographs and posed for selfies with the troves of fans lined up on and around the Croisette. Despite an indulgent three hours and 26 minutes, the crime epic was met with a standing ovation at the Palais, as Scorsese and his cast were embraced by a 9-minute standing ovation.

“It’s a culmination of years of work,” Scorsese said in reference to his emotional response to the night. Gladstone, who plays the wife of DiCaprio’s character Ernest Burkhart, received some of the loudest cheers as the credits rolled on “Killers of the Flower Moon.” On the audience’s reaction to the film, he said “It felt very just.”

Scorsese mentioned the importance of spending time with the Osage people, as well as shooting on location. “When I was presented with the book, I said if we’re going anywhere near indigenous nations, we have to be respectful,” he said.

Osage Nation chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, who served as a consultant and joined the filmmaker and cast at the press conference, believes Scorsese kept that promise. “On behalf of the Osage, Marty and his team have restored trust, and we know that trust cannot be betrayed.”

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