Robert De Niro is said to be in final talks regarding a starring role in the film “Manuale d’Amore 3”, reports “Variety”.
The first two “Manuale d’Amore” films [2005 and 2007] were hugely successful at the Italian box office. The films, directed by Giovanni Veronesi, tell the stories of the stages in relationships in four “chapters” featuring different main characters.
If De Niro’s role is confirmed, he will play a divorced American living in Rome and he will speak in English and Italian. The actor, whose Italian is said to be “not bad”, spent four months studying the Sicilian dialect for his role as Vito Corleone in “Godfather II”.
De Niro’s father was of Italian and Irish descent and, although the young Robert did not speak Italian at home, he was close to his Italian paternal grandfather. De Niro has said that he identifies most with his “Italian side”.
Filming is due to start in Rome on 24th September. De Niro has not filmed on location in Italy since he starred in Bertolucci’s “Novecento” in 1976.
