Robert De Niro - Robert De Niro Moved To Tears On U.s. Tv

The Taxi Driver actor was chatting to host Katie Couric about how director David O. Russell's bipolar son Matthew inspired the story of Pat Solitano, a teacher who also suffers from the condition and is played by Bradley Cooper in the film.

When Couric asked if it was a "great responsibility" working on a movie so important to the filmmaker, De Niro, who plays Cooper's onscreen father, became teary-eyed.

He told the presenter, "Of course, I, um - I understand. I don't like to get emotional, but I know exactly what he goes through."

Both De Niro and Cooper are up for Oscars at the Academy Awards prizegiving later this month (Feb13).