Ana de Armas says her father was 'hysterical' after Robert De Niro paid him a surprise visit in Cuba
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- Ana de Armas hosted the most recent episode of "Saturday Night Live."
- De Armas said Robert De Niro visited her father while visiting Cuba.
- She said her father was "hysterical" after the interaction.
Ana de Armas revealed that she learned about Robert De Niro's softer side after he paid her father a surprise visit in Cuba.
De Armas shared details about the wholesome moment during her opening monologue on "Saturday Night Live." She previously worked with De Niro while filming her first American movie, "Hands of Stone." The movie chronicles the life of Panamanian former professional boxer Roberto Durán. De Niro plays Durán's trainer, Ray Arcel, while de Armas portrays Durán's wife, Felicidad Iglesias.
"One day on set he told me, 'I may be going to Cuba soon. If I do, I'll say hello to your family,'" de Armas said. "He even asked me for the phone number."
The actor admitted that she "completely forgot" about the exchange until she later got a phone call from her father.
"Then, one day, out of the blue, I get a phone call from my dad – he's hysterical," de Armas said. "I'm like, 'Dad, what's wrong?' and he goes, 'Robert De Niro just came to visit me at work.'"
De Armas told the "SNL" audience that De Niro's surprise visit was "such a kind gesture."
"I've been so fortunate to work with so many supportive actors," she added.
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In the same monologue, de Armas said she's about to become a US citizen.
"This has been a magical year. Not only [was] I nominated for an Oscar, but in three weeks, I'm going to officially become an American citizen," she said. "I am proud to become a citizen because when I moved here, everyone was so welcoming."
De Armas' star rose in 2022 when she starred in Netflix's "Blonde," a film examining the rise and fall of Marilyn Monroe. That December, she called the role a "big risk" during a conversation with fellow actor Eddie Redmayne on Variety's "Actors on Actors" series.
"And it was a big risk, because I knew, 'Oh, my gosh, if I don't get this one right, this is over.' I'll be raising cows and chickens in the countryside. I'll be doing something else. I will never work again," she told Redmayne.