Istanbul has 'magic', says actor Robert De Niro

By Hilal Ustuk

ISTANBUL (AA) – Actor Robert De Niro visited Istanbul after 20 years to attend a traditional sake ceremony at Nobu, a Japanese restaurant he part-owns.

The international chain of restaurants is named after Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, who has a stake in the business along with American film producer Meir Teper.

At a press conference after the ceremony, De Niro said he was happy to be in Istanbul.

Replying to a question about a possible film project in Istanbul, he said he did not have any such plans at the moment.

However, he said the city was a great place to make a film.

“There are a lot of stories going out here, obviously as everywhere else. This city has a lot of magic,” he said.

He said his favorite spot in the city is the carpet bazaar and he wants to take his daughter there.

He also talked about his 50-year friendship with Al Pacino. “We're all friends. We don't hang out every day, but we have a good solid friendship. We always enjoy talking to each other."

On the recent rise of OTT platforms, he said: "We couldn't have done Irishman without Netflix. What can I say? I was happy. They gave us everything that we needed.”

Baran Suzer, the restaurant's Türkiye partner and chairman of Suzer Holding, said Nobu holds a special place among their investments. “We think that Nobu adds value to Istanbul and Türkiye,” he added.

Also speaking, Teper said he was happy to visit Istanbul, one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

He said they could not come earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they finally found a partner here.

Nobu also said he was happy to be in Türkiye. He said he had visited the country 12 times and he finds something new every time.