Highlights

• Ana de Armas shared a heartwarming story about Robert De Niro visiting her father in Cuba after they filmed together, showcasing De Niro's softer side.
• De Armas praised De Niro for being one of the most welcoming people in the industry and thanked him for his generosity towards her.
• Robert De Niro is known for his willingness to help younger actors, offering advice and support.

Ana de Armas revealed during her Saturday Night Livemonologue that she learned about Robert De Niro's softer side after he visited with her father.

De Armas detailed a touching story of Robert De Niro visiting her father in Cuba after filming Hands of Stone together. "One day on set, he told me, 'I may be going to Cuba soon. If I do, I'll say hello to your family,'" de Armas said. "He even asked me for the phone number." And he actually visited the actresses father in Cuba!

The Blonde actress also used her opening monologue to reflect on her career after coming from Cuba in her 20s to the United States. She explained that De Niro was one of the most welcoming people to her in the often cruel industry and praised his generosity.

Why Robert De Niro Visited Ana De Armas' Father

When filming Hands of Stone,Robert De Niro promised to visit Ana De Armas' father if he ever visited Cuba. The Ghosted actress thought nothing of it and even forgot about the exchange until she later received a phone call from her father. "Then, one day, out of the blue, I get a phone call from my dad – he's hysterical," de Armas explained.

"I'm like, 'Dad, what's wrong?' and he goes, 'Robert De Niro just came to visit me at work.'" De Armas told the audience of Saturday Night Live that the actor's surprise visit was "such a kind gesture."

The actress, who had recently earned her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s controversial Blonde, called 2023 a “magical year.”

Ana de Armas said her father would be “so proud of me, and he would be proud to see me today standing on this stage.”

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What Is Ana De Armas' Relationship With Robert De Niro?

Ana De Armas met Robert De Niro when working on Hands of Stone, one of her first American movies. The film told the story of Panamanian former professional boxer Roberto Durán. De Niro plays Durán's trainer, Ray Arcel, while de Armas stars as Durán's wife, Felicidad Iglesias.

Her appearance on Saturday Night Live came during an important year for the Cuban-born actress. "Not only was I nominated for an Oscar, but in three weeks, I’m going to officially become an American citizen!” Ana de Armas excitedly told audiences in her opening monologue. “I am proud to become a citizen because when I moved here, everyone was so welcoming.”

When talking about the Goodfellas star, she added, “I’ve been so fortunate to work with so many supportive actors.”

Ana De Armas Journey Coming To America From Cuba

Ana De Armas moved to the USA from Cuba when she was in her 20s. She was raised in Havana, where she studied her craft and started her acting career. Her parents hugely supported her career and helped encourage her to become an actress as a child.

“In Cuba, you live in a bubble. I didn’t know what the world was like. I had never traveled before in my life.”

She soon moved to Spain to pursue her career and make connections. Despite having only 300 Euros to her name, she soon landed her role on television. This led her to being cast in Hand of Stone alongside Robert De Niro.

Cuba's National Theater School Turned Ana De Armas Away When She Tried To Return

While most people hate the feeling of starting over as an actress in a new country, de Armas thrived on it. "When you move to the States, whatever you’ve done before doesn’t count. It was kind of refreshing, to be honest."

She revealed she actually learned from watching the TV show Friends. During her Saturday Night Live monologue, she joked, “Who would have thought that the best English tutor would be Chandler Bing?”

Robert De Niro's Love For Helping Younger Actors

Robert De Niro is considered one of the greats in Hollywood. Despite his on-screen persona, he is much softer behind the camera. He is always happy to impart his wisdom to others and help young stars with their craft.

Speaking about what generations can learn from each other, The Godfather star said, “There’s no downside in asking somebody who’s been around a lot longer than you, especially if they’ve done things that you’ve done, or in that area.”

He expressed his love for passing on advice to the younger generation, “Some people do, and I like giving advice. Some young actor friends of mine will ask me for advice and I like to do it. I appreciate it. They listen, and they take what they want, what they can use, like I do.”

Bradley Cooper has praised De Niro's advice and explained that the advice he gave to him at graduate school changed his life.

"I remember he came to my graduate school, and I asked him a question," he explained. "It was like a beam of light shot through my stomach when he looked at me, and I used that as fuel for years when I would put myself on the line for something. When I get rejected or turned down over and over, I’d think about the reception I got from Robert De Niro that day and keep going.”

De Niro and Cooper have now formed a friendship after appearing in numerous films with each other. “I like to give advice to younger actors or anybody who wants it…I love to give advice to my children but they are at an age where they don’t usually want to listen. But…Bradley listens.”

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