The Big Picture Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese are a match made in filmmakers' heaven. De Niro has starred in several Scorsese features, playing iconic gangsters whose humanistic portrayal of hardened criminals has made him a household name. The natural chemistry between the two is palpable and so intricately interwoven into the fabric of Hollywood that it is nearly impossible to speak of one without the other.
Release Date October 14, 1973 Director Martin Scorsese Cast Robert De Niro , Harvey Keitel , David Proval , David Carradine Runtime 112 minutes Who Does Robert De Niro Play in Martin Scorsese's 'Mean Streets'? Robert De Niro plays John "Johnny Boy" Civello, a degenerate gambler and petty criminal. He is a born loser and as dumb as they come. Johnny Boy refuses to do an honest day's work — or any work for that matter.
Why Did Robert De Niro Almost Turn Down His 'Mean Streets' Role? Close When he was offered the part of the lovable loser Johnny Boy, De Niro wasn't sure if he should take the part. He had played a few leading roles before and thought he should rightfully have the part of Charlie, whom the less experienced Keitel had been cast as. But after a conversation with Keitel, he changed his mind.
De Niro would go on to take the role, realizing that in the world of acting, it is unwise to turn one's nose up at an opportunity. As he told Interview, "As an actor who's starting out, you can't say, 'Hey, I'm too good for this,'" he explained. "You gotta do it, because people see you, your name gets around, and it has a cumulative effect."