Hey, here’s a fun fact for you – did you know Anthony Kiedis, the frontman of Red Hot Chili Peppers, has dabbled a bit in the world of acting? That’s right; the rockstar took a little detour to Hollywood a couple of times. You might catch a glimpse of him in the ’78 film ‘F.I.S.T.’ or see him doing a bit in ‘Point Break’ back in ’91. Not exactly Oscar-winning stuff, but hey, everyone’s gotta start somewhere.
Kiedis being a fan of the silver screen, he’s had his fair share of favorite actors, one of whom is the one and only Robert De Niro. But something went down that really ticked him off. You’d think being a rocker and a part-time actor, Kiedis would be all about living and letting loose when it comes to performances, right? Well, not exactly. Turns out, there’s De Niro’s one role in ‘The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle’ that really grinds his gears.
Even though Anthony enjoys watching Di Nero on the big screen the most, this movie really was a turn-off for the singer. The movie is a mix of live-action and animation from the year 2000. De Niro, Mr. Taxi Driver himself, played this character called Fearless Leader. Quite a change from his usual roles, and well, let’s just say the film didn’t exactly become a cult classic and received some mixed reviews.
Here’s the scoop straight from Kiedis’s chat with Movieline magazine in 2002:
“I love De Niro’s early work, though ever since he did ‘The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle,’ I’ve been pissed off at him. He didn’t need to do that. Sometimes movies piss me off, and that one did. I left the theater angry. I hate that feeling. It makes me lose my heart for movies, and I love going to the movies.”
So there you have it! Even rockstars spend their off days at the movies, and this one left Anthony angry. However, it just goes to show that no matter how much you admire someone, not everything they do can be a hit, even if they are Robert De Niro.
It’s a bummer, sure, but that’s the way it goes. Kiedis loves his movies, and seeing De Niro in a flick that didn’t hit the mark for him was a letdown. But at the end of the day, that’s art for you – always bound to stir up some feelings, one way or another.
