De Niro Secretly Watched Star Wars Lightsaber Fight Being Filmed
The legendary actor made an unexpected appearance on set during one of cinema's most memorable duels, sharing workout tips with the young Jedi.
Robert De Niro made a surprise visit to the Star Wars: Episode III set during filming of the climactic lightsaber battle between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Hayden Christensen recently shared this behind-the-scenes story at Fan Expo New Orleans.
The Taxi Driver star wasn't there for the actors. He came to observe George Lucas at work. Christensen recalled the moment he and Ewan McGregor spotted the Hollywood icon watching from the sidelines.
An Unexpected Encounter
"I remember during one of the days that we were filming that fight, Robert De Niro showed up to set, just because he wanted to come see what we were doing – not us, but George, [he] wanted to see what George was doing," Christensen explained. The young actor was starstruck when McGregor pointed out the legendary performer's presence.
"Ewan says to me, 'Is that Robert De Niro standing over there?' And I'm looking over like, 'Yeah, I think that is him,'" Christensen remembered. The two Star Wars actors were thrilled to have such an esteemed visitor watching their work.
Shared Acting Techniques
De Niro approached the set and struck up a conversation with the cast. What happened next surprised Christensen. The veteran actor had been observing his pre-take routine.
"I would do a lot of push-ups before each take to try to get my heart rate up and a little exhaustion going," Christensen said. De Niro had noticed this preparation method and offered some professional insight.
"He came over to me and he said, 'You know, I see you doing push-ups before the takes.' He was like, 'I do that, too.' That felt good," Christensen shared. The validation from such a respected actor clearly meant a lot to the young performer during the demanding fight sequences.