When veteran film director Francis Ford Coppola singled out Javier Bardem as a potential ‘heir’ to Hollywood legend Robert De Niro, he probably didn’t expect him to take it so literally.
But the Spanish actor is now set to follow directly in De Niro’s footsteps after signing a ‘six-figure deal’ to appear in an advert for Uber Eats – just a year after the Taxi Driver star appeared in a similar ad.
Bardem, 55, could pocket £600,000 from the food delivery company for the new ad, which insiders say will be filmed in London.
And De Niro, perhaps, has reason to be worried. It comes in the same week it was announced that Bardem is also set to reprise De Niro’s role in a television remake of 1991 psychological thriller Cape Fear.
He will take on the role of convicted violent rapist Max Cady, who seeks vengeance on his lawyer after serving a 14-year prison sentence, in a series for Apple TV+ which will see Martin Scorsese return as director.
De Niro’s advert for Uber’s membership scheme, Uber One, saw the 81-year-old appear alongside Sex Education star Asa Butterfield.
Spanish actor Javier Bardem has signed a ‘six-figure deal’ to appear in an advert for Uber Eats
Robert De Niro last year starred in an advert for Uber’s membership scheme, Uber One, which saw the 81-year-old appear alongside Sex Education star Asa Butterfield
Bardem won an Oscar in 2007 for his performance as violent psychopath Anton Chigurh in the Coen brothers adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel No Country for Old Men
The pair slowly bond over their love of ‘eating food’ and ‘going places’ during the three-minute film, which is called Best Friends.
Whether Bardem, who is married to Spanish actress Penelope Cruz and best known for playing villains, will play to type remains unclear.
He won an Oscar in 2007 for his performance as violent psychopath Anton Chigurh in the Coen brothers adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel No Country for Old Men, and also played deranged former MI6 agent-turned-cyberterrorist Raoul Silva in Sam Mendes’ Skyfall.
It was 15 years ago that Coppola gave an interview where he claimed Bardem could take over from actors like De Niro.
The director described him as ‘ambitious’ and – ironically, given his new partnership with Uber Eats – ‘hungry’.
Both Bardem and Uber Eats were approached for comment.
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