LOS ANGELES (AP) — A trade association has decided not to present a planned award to veteran actor Robert De Niro after he spoke out against former President Donald Trump outside his criminal trial in New York.
De Niro, whose last major film was “Killers of the Flower Moon,” was to receive a leadership award from the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington, D.C., next week.
A spokesperson for the broadcasters association told US newspaper The Hill that the programme was “proudly bipartisan”.
The statement said, “While we strongly support every American’s right to freedom of expression and civic participation, it is clear that Mr. De Niro’s recent high-profile activities would distract from the philanthropic work we were hoping to recognize. In order to keep the focus on the service of the award winners, Mr. De Niro will no longer be attending the event.”
On the other hand, De Niro, who has been a vocal critic of Trump for years, said that he wishes the best for this collaboration.
“I support the work of the NAB Leadership Foundation and would like to express my appreciation and gratitude for all that the Foundation has done and continues to do for the good of all of us, and I wish them all the best in their continued good work,” he was quoted as saying in the statement, The Hill reported.
In a landmark verdict, a panel of 12 Manhattan jurors on Thursday said they unanimously agreed that Trump, 77, had falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to influence the 2016 US presidential election.
Multiple Oscar-winning actor De Niro recently attended a campaign event for US President Joe Biden outside a Manhattan courtroom alongside two former law enforcement officials who were present at the US Capitol when it was attacked by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021.
In this program, De Niro urged people not to vote for Trump.
“I don’t mean to scare you. No no, wait, maybe I do mean to scare you. If Trump comes back into the White House, you can give up the freedoms that we take for granted, and the election, forget about it … he’ll never leave,” the longtime Democratic Party supporter said.
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