Robert De Niro’s brilliant performance in the 1976 film Taxi Driver earned him an Oscar nomination for playing his character, Travis Bickle. Recently, it was rumored that the actor was set to reprise his iconic role as Travis Bickle for an Uber ad, and the writer of the film was agitated about the news.
Following the controversies, Taxi Driver screenwriter Paul Schrader took to Facebook to shed light on the rumor about the actor while expressing his stance on the issue. “Why Bob would do this is beyond my reckoning,” Paul revealed. “But I haven’t seen it. If I’m lucky, I never will.”
Robert De Niro’s representative shares their opinion on the issue
Although Robert De Niro will feature in the promotional video for Uber U.K., The Hollywood Reporter claims that a representative of the actor maintained that the father-of-seven is not going to be reprising his character as Travis, neither would he be reciting his famous Taxi Driver line.
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In Taxi Driver, De Niro’s character battled mental health problems while working as a night-time taxi driver in New York. Travis was embattled by the rot and social decline in the system following the Vietnam War, and during his daily travails, he struggled with love and tried to restore order in his immediate environment—a decision that left him lying in a pool of blood.
‘Taxi Driver’ remains a fan favorite
Despite the controversy that ensued when John Hinckley Jr. blamed Taxi Driver as the inspiration for his attempted assassination of former USA President Ronald Reagan, the film has stuck with movie lovers primarily because of its intriguing and relatable storyline and has also influenced the production of films like Jackie Brown and The Batman.
The movie has generated a cult-like fan base and is named one of the most culturally significant and greatest films ever made, so it comes as a surprise to hear the rumor that De Niro will choose to sacrifice his relevance in movie history for a UK Uber ad.