Idris Elba has revealed how he "scammed" his way into Robert De Niro’s offices when he was a young actor.
Speaking at Saturday's (February 24) 2024 SAG Awards ceremony as part of their 'I Am an Actor' segment, Elba said he sneaked into the offices in an attempt to get an audition.
"When I was just starting out in this business – I was 19 years old – I scammed my way up to Robert De Niro’s office in Tribeca," Elba explained.
Related: Meryl Streep compared to iconic Devil Wears Prada character during SAG Awards reunion
According to Elba, he was at the offices of the actor, who was nominated at the awards for his role in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, to try and get a role in another Scorsese movie – 1993's A Bronx Tale.
Speaking of the incident, Elba revealed how he used his "English charm" to trick security guards and receptionists into thinking he had an appointment despite not being invited to audition.
What to Read Next
"And that’s how I ended up in A Bronx Tale," Elba quipped, adding: "No, I’m lying. I wasn’t in A Bronx Tale. I got kicked out of the office by Robert De Niro’s producing partner at the time, a gesture that I took to mean, 'Kid, you’re going to go places.'"
Related: Succession's Kieran Culkin, Nicholas Braun and Matthew Macfadyen share sweet reunion
Among those also sharing fond memories during the segment were Barbie star Michael Cera and Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, who told the audience that she found a dead mouse in her Spamalot stage costume.
Elsewhere at the awards, Meryl Streep was compared to her Devil Wears Prada character Miranda Priestly after reuniting with former co-stars Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway to present an award.
After revealing she had lost her glasses and the winner's envelope, Streep was joined on stage by Blunt and Hathaway who brought the missing items, recreating their roles as Priestly's assistants in the 2006 movie.
You Might Like...
Reporter, Digital Spy
Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.
