Dan Glaister in London
He played a priest in True Confessions and the devil in Angel Heart, but these blasphemous associations did not stop the Vatican approaching Robert de Niro to ask him to contribute to a CD recording of the poems of Pope John Paul II.
But now the invitation has been withdrawn. The actor’s sin? Being in the wrong place at the wrong time. De Niro’s interrogation by a French judge about his possible connection with a high-class international call-girl ring has led the Vatican to drop him from the planned CD. The actor has forcefully denied any involvement with the prostitution ring.
Father Giuseppe Moscati, who is co- ordinating the project for Edizioni Musicali Terzo Millennio, said: “In view of the news, De Niro’s participation no longer seems such a good idea. These are poems written by the pope, after all, and it appears that the image we had of De Niro when we made the proposal is far from the truth.”
The actor was invited at the end of last year to take part in the project. Other actors approached include Gregory Peck and Dustin Hoffman. Gerard Depardieu has been asked to record a French version.
The American CD follows the success of a recording of the pope’s poems released in Italy last year. The Italian version, read by Vittorio Gassman, has sold 30 000 copies. A second Italian recording will be released at Easter, with a third planned, possibly using the voice of Sophia Loren.
The pope’s excursion into the CD market comes after a stage appearance with Bob Dylan last year. On that occasion the pontiff did not sing, and Dylan performed his own works, not those of the pope.
The snub to De Niro comes after he said he would hand back his French Legion d’Honneur medal, awarded to him at last year’s Cannes film festival.