10 Famous Movie Scenes Only Made Possible By Deceiving Actors
9. Robert De Niro Didn't Expect To Be Spat At - Deer Hunter
Of all the Hollywood powerhouses you'd likely want to stay on the right side of, it's hard to look past the formidable Robert De Niro as one of the most intimidating and awe-inspiring of the lot. Yet, that still didn't stop Deer Hunter director Michael Cimino from coming to the conclusion that the best way to lure a genuinely stunned reaction out of the talented titan was to very much cover him in authentic saliva in the thick of a scene.
Coming during one of De Niro and Christopher Walken's many enthralling exchanges within the Russian Roulette-equipped war drama, De Niro had not been informed of the director's request to have Walken spit on him during one of the takes. So, when the ballsy eventual Oscar-winner did ultimately unleash his phlegm onto the well-respected thespian, it came as little surprise to see a genuinely shocked De Niro very nearly charge straight off-set.
As Cimino would accurately put it when summing up Walken's attitude towards this act of deception, "He's got courage!" You can say that again.