From the psychological drama of ‘Angel Heart‘ to the thrilling battles of ‘Heat,’ Robert De Niro is known for having carved out a reputation as an actor by embodying the most frightening villains to come out of the cinema screen. Infused with an explosive blend of coolness and brutality, his roles have set the pace for the modern crime genre.
Ironically, the role that brought him the most fame as a sinister antagonist—the character of mob boss Al Capone in the 1987 film, ‘The Untouchables,’ directed by Brian De Palma—made a brilliant actor earn millions despite never setting foot on set.
Bob Hoskins, The Backup Al Capone
But before the throne officially passed to Robert De Niro, the first and foremost backup actor chosen by director Brian De Palma was the iconic British star, Bob Hoskins.
De Palma was determined to have De Niro star as Capone, but the American star was too busy at that moment to accept another project. Not only did De Niro agree to take on Broadway’s Cuba and His Teddy Bear, but he was also involved in the production of another film, ‘Angel Heart.’
Afraid of the chance of De Niro suddenly backing out at the last minute, De Palma turned to Hoskins. At that time, Hoskins was riding high off his acclaimed performances in the films ‘Sweet Liberty‘ and ‘Mona Lisa,’ both made in 1986.
Being well aware of the studio’s problem, Hoskins decided to sign a “pay-or-play” contract, agreeing to step in should the director need him. As soon as De Niro became available and actually stepped foot onto the Chicago set, Hoskins thought that his part had been canceled.
Brian De Palma Made Bob Hoskins Rich
But Hoskins had entirely forgotten about his deal until 1986 rolled around. In an interview with Conan O’Brien in 1998, Bob Hoskins explained how that particular morning unfolded and shared a story about the most expensive breakfast ever received.
He recalled the incident on Late Night With Conan O’Brien in 1988. On a fine morning, his wife received the check. The actor couldn’t believe it, but that was not all. It had a note attached to it by DePalma.
Hoskins said, “Linda and I are sitting out at breakfast one morning, and Linda’s opening the post. She said, ‘Oh, what’s this?’ And it was a check for 200,000 dollars. It had a note attached to it from Brian De Palma that said, ‘Thanks for your time. Love, Brian.’ I phoned him up immediately and said, ‘Brian, listen, you got any other films you don’t want me to be in, babe? I’m there for you! Any day!'”
Even after 30 years, this story is outright hilarious for fans. He was, after all, the fans’ choice for Al Capone. The audience believed he would nail the role. However, DeNiro redefined the character altogether.
Robert De Niro Iconicized Al Capone
Unlike Hoskins, who took the money and ran, Robert De Niro prepared for his role as a legendary mobster the way only he could—by putting himself through hell and back to get into character.
To achieve the intimidating figure of the mobster, De Niro flew all the way to Italy and changed his diet to gain 30 pounds. He even plucked his hairline to mimic Capone’s receding hairline.
True to his method-actor nature, De Niro asked for nothing but the best and ordered the costume department to provide him with structurally accurate garments for the film.
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Legendary designer Giorgio Armani created beautiful era-accurate silk suits for the cast. But to make sure De Niro fully embodied the headspace of the famous mobster, he actually managed to procure the exact vintage silk underwear Capone bought in the 1920s from Sulka & Co.
The Rise Of The Cockney Cagey
But failing to land The Untouchables certainly didn’t ruin Hoskins’ future. Far from it—Hoskins went on to create such a memorable gangster character that he earned a nickname “Cockney James Cagney.”
This nickname came from critics because of Hoskins’ incredible performances as tough-talking, ruthless British gangsters.
In ‘Mona Lisa,’ he played the role of an undercover gangster, George. He isn’t a mob boss here, but we see the softness and the sensibility. Paired with the dialect, it brought the characters’ vulnerability to light—no wonder this performance was eventually nominated for an Academy Award.
First, he delivered a frightening performance in ‘The Long Good Friday,’ then played a vulnerable man in ‘Mona Lisa,’ earning himself an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Soon after, he would become a cult film icon with his performance as the cynical, hate-tooning detective Eddie Valiant in ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’
In all fairness, there was no ill will harbored by the stars. De Niro and Hoskins had already built a mutual trust by working together on Terry Gilliam’s satirical film ‘Brazil,’ released in 1985.
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