Just a day before his milestone 80th birthday, Robert De Niro has been dealt a tough blow concerning his celebrations.
The veteran actor turns 80 on Thursday, August 17, and the TriBeCa Film Festival – which he co-founded in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in 2001 as a celebration of the city – had planned to host a fan event in his honor.
While event was slated to run from September 29 to October 1, fans will have to wait until next year to honor his life and work in Hollywood.
In a statement released Wednesday, the festival announced it would be postponing its "De Niro Con" celebration to April 2024, due to the ongoing double strike from the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA.
Posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, the statement read: "In consideration of the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, we have decided to postpone De Niro Con, the multi-day fan event celebrating Robert De Niro and his body of work. De Niro Con will now take place in April 2024."
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On their website, the event promised special guests at screenings, immersive experiences, exhibits, and more, and offered various ticket options, from the "Johnny Boy Pass," which costs $150 for general admission, to the "The Godfather Pass" for $3,500, which includes invitation for two guests to attend an exclusive cocktail reception, one copy of a limited edition book signed by De Niro, merch discounts, and two tickets to the 2024 Tribeca Festival.
This summer marked the first time in 60 years that both actors and writers are striking, and events such as the 2023 Emmys, Comic Con, the remainder of the Barbie press tour, and several more movie premieres, along with production in Hollywood, have been impacted as a result.
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Actors first went on strike on July 14, when their contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) expired, citing concerns over their residuals from streaming platforms and AI usage. Writers, who have similar concerns over AI and pay, went on strike May 2.
© GettyThe cancellation of the fan event is nothing compared to the tragedy De Niro and his family have faced this summer. The Oscar winner is mourning the passing of his grandson Leandro, his daughter Drena De Niro's 19-year-old son, who died July 2 after an accidental overdose from the toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine.
Drena was adopted by De Niro when he married Diahnne Abbott in 1976, and she welcomed Leandro with artist Carlos Mare in 2004.
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© InstagramAt the time, De Niro said in a statement to Us Weekly: "I'm deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo," adding: "We're greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo."
