De Niro’s Mafia roles ‘tarnish image of Italians’
The actor, who is part Italian, was due to be granted honorary citizenship this week.
But a US-based group, the Order of Sons of Italy in America, have held up the ceremony with its protests.
The group claims the 61-year-old star has done more harm than good to the reputations of Italians and Italian-Americans with roles such as Mafia boss Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II.
Speaking at the Venice Film Festival, De Niro insisted: “The characters I play are real. They are real.
“So they have as much right to be portrayed as any other characters.”
He said the protesters had ignored scores of other roles he had played throughout his career.
“There are other characters I’ve portrayed other than those ones which have been called stereotypes.
“I’m part Italian, part Dutch, part French, part German and part Irish, but I probably identify more with my Italian side than the other parts.
“Italy is such a great and wonderful country, I’m very proud and honoured to be asked to be a citizen.”
Besides The Godfather, De Niro has played Italian-Americans in films such as Goodfellas, Once Upon A Time In America and Mean Streets.
The Washington-based Sons of Italy group has written to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to air its grievances.
“He has done nothing to promote the image of Italians. He has damaged their image by constantly playing criminal roles that tarnish their reputation,” wrote its president Joseph Sciame.
Despite the protests, the citizenship ceremony is set to go ahead next month in Rome.
De Niro is at the Venice Film Festival for the world premiere of Shark Tale an animated underwater movie. He plays shark mafia boss Don Lino.
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