Robert De Niro eviscerated Donald Trump during the Tony Awards
(Theo Wargo/Getty)
Robert De Niro slammed US President Donald Trump at the Tony Awards on Sunday.
The legendary actor and LGBT activist, who has previously opened up about his gay father, sparked a standing ovation with just eight words – and one particularly stunning phrase.
De Niro took to the stage and told the audience: “I’m going to say one thing.
Robert De Niro speaks onstage during the 72nd Annual Tony Awards (Theo Wargo/Getty)
“F**k Trump.”
The crowd, which was filled with Broadway stars, met the proclamation with nearly 30 seconds of rapturous applause, which De Niro greeted by pumping his arms in encouragement.
The two-time Oscar winner – who was also honoured with an Excellence in Media Award in 2016 at the GLAAD Awards – had a few more words before introducing Bruce Springsteen’s musical appearance.
“It’s no longer ‘Down with Trump,'” he said.
De Niro was applauded for saying ‘f**k Trump’ (Theo Wargo/Getty)
“It’s ‘F**k Trump.'”
American broadcaster CBS censored De Niro’s comments, but they were left untouched by Australian TV, for one.
Also at the Tonys, Andrew Garfield dedicated his win for best lead actor in a play to LGBTQ people “who have fought and died.”
Andrew Garfield accepts the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for Angels in America (Theo Wargo/Getty)
The British actor, who received the award for his role as Prior Walter in Angels in America, referenced the Supreme Court’s ruling last week in favour of Colorado’s Masterpiece Cakeshop, which refused to serve a gay couple after it found out the order was for a wedding cake.
He told the audience: “We all belong, so let’s just bake a cake for everyone who wants a cake to be baked.
“We all belong,” he continued.
Andrew Garfield, winner of the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for Angels in America (ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty)
“So I dedicate this award to the countless LGBTQ people who have fought and died to protect that spirit, to protect that message for the right to live and love as we are created to.”
Also last night, the 34-year-old spoke about what an honour it was to play the part of an openly gay man – and Walter in particular.
“At a moment in time where maybe the most important thing that we remember right now is the sanctity of the human spirit, it is the profound privilege of my life to play Prior Walter in Angels in America because he represents the purest spirit of humanity, and especially that of the LGBTQ community,” Garfield said.
Andrew Garfield accepts the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for Angels in America onstage during the 72nd Annual Tony Awards (Theo Wargo/Getty)
“It is a spirit that says no to oppression. It is a spirit that says no to bigotry, no to shame, no to exclusion.
“It is a spirit that says we are all made perfectly.”
Watch De Niro slam Trump here:
Here’s video of DeNiro swearing at Trump on #TonyAwards
Australian feed didnt censor it. pic.twitter.com/KZNrT8UIyH
— Rhett Bartlett (@dialmformovies) June 11, 2018
