The Alto Knights: Robert De Niro’s Two Characters Are ‘Different Sides Of The Same Coin’, He Says

Robert De Niro knows a thing or two about playing mobsters. He’s done it multiple times across his legendary career – but as it turns out, The Alto Knights might just be the most De Niro mobster movie. That’s because he’s playing both central mob boss roles in the film, penned by none other than Nicholas ‘Goodfellas’ Pileggi, and directed by Barry Levinson. As well as mafia don Frank Costello, De Niro also plays… well, mafia don Vito Genovese, former friends who find themselves going head-to-head in mid-20th Century New York. Roll up for double De Niro.

For the actor, stepping into the shoes of both mafiosos – each with their own unique way of running things – was a compelling challenge. “The idea of playing the two different characters was intriguing to me,” De Niro tells Empire. And each had their own notes to play. “They’re like two different sides of the same coin. One is more rational, more diplomatic. That’s the Costello character,” he explains. “The Genovese character is more erratic, more impulsive.” For Levinson, that divide in personalities offers real dramatic meat. “As kids, they were very much the same,” the director says. “Two guys were almost one, then they suddenly not only divide, but ultimately become enemies.”

The idea for De Niro to play both roles was an instinctive one from producer Irvin Winkler, who initially got De Niro on board to play Costello before offering him the second part. “[De Niro] said, ‘Who do you think would be right to play Vito Genovese?’,” Winkler recalls. “And I thought about it for a couple of beats, and I couldn’t think of anybody better than him. I said, ‘You know what, you should play both parts.’ It was really that spontaneous.” Bada bing, bada boom.

Read Empire’s full feature on The Alto Knights in the Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning issue, on sale Thursday 13 February. Pre-order a copy online here. The Alto Knights comes to UK cinemas from 21 March.