Host Jimmy Kimmel kicked off the 2024 Academy Awards with his trademark humor, playfully mentioning some notable attendees in his opening monologue. Kimmel also lauded Lily Gladstone’s captivating performance in Killers of the Flower Moon and took a jab at Robert Downey Jr., referencing his past struggles with addiction.
However, Kimmel’s jest about 80-year-old Robert De Niro’s personal life became the highlight of the evening and ignited a storm on social media, sparking widespread discussion and debate among viewers.
Jimmy Kimmel subtly shades Jodie Foster at the recent Oscar awards
During the event, Kimmel took a quick jab at De Niro, who was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category for his work on Killers of the Flower Moon, and his Taxi Driver co-star Jodie Foster, who was up for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Nyad.
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He joked that Foster was now way too old to date De Niro, who is currently in a relationship with 45-year-old Tiffany Chen. “Here’s some fun Oscars trivia,” the star began. “48 years ago, Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster were nominated for Taxi Driver, and they are both nominated again tonight,” Kimmel stated. “And that’s funny because, in 1976, Jodie Foster is young enough to be Robert De Niro’s daughter – now she’s 20 years too old to be his girlfriend.”
After delivering the punchline, Foster’s reaction was unmistakable, she burst into laughter, nodding her head in agreement while silently mouthing the words, “It’s true.” However, the impact of Kimmel’s joke didn’t end there, as viewers swiftly took to their online platforms to voice their opinions about the witty jab.
“The joke that 40 years ago Jodie Foster was old enough to play Robert De Niro’s daughter and now she is old enough to make his wife the only good joke in Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue,” a fan wrote via X while a second person commented, “Wow just taking Ricky Gervais jokes now huh.”