EXCLUSIVE: Robert De Niro and Debra Messing Talk Filming The Alto Knights: “When I Was a Teenager, I Hung Out There”
Robert De Niro is no stranger to playing mobsters. From Al Capone in The Untouchables to Jimmy Conway in Goodfellas—not to mention Frank Sheeran in The Irishman—he’s built a legendary career portraying some of the most infamous figures in crime history. But in his latest film, The Alto Knights, released on March 21, he takes on a unique challenge: playing two roles in one film, further cementing his status as a Hollywood icon.
Directed by Barry Levinson, The Alto Knights is an immersive biographical crime drama that explores the true story of New York crime bosses Frank Costello and Vito Genovese as they battle for control of the city’s streets in the 1950s. It pulls audiences deep into the world of power, betrayal and ambition.
Joining De Niro is Debra Messing, best known for Will & Grace (a TV show classic), who takes on the role of Frank’s wife Bobbie. Her character navigates the complexities of being married to a powerful mob figure, adding depth to the film’s emotional core.
In an exclusive interview with Reader’s Digest, De Niro and Messing open up about filming The Alto Knights, their most challenging moments on set and even share a few personal insights—like their go-to comfort food and the advice they’d give their younger selves.
So if you’re a fan of crime drama, De Niro’s powerhouse performances or just love a good behind-the-scenes look, keep reading for our exclusive chat with both De Niro and Messing. And don’t miss The Alto Knights, which is now playing in theaters.
This in-person interview took place on March 16, 2025 and has been edited for length and clarity.
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Reader’s Digest: Robert, you’re playing these two characters, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, and it’s a unique challenge. How did you differentiate these two characters in your performance?
Robert De Niro: I’ll lead up to how it started. I had been sent the script … and I read it, and it was good. [I said] we should talk. I’ve worked with [director] Barry Levinson, Irwin [Winkler] and Nicholas Pileggi for decades. They had also mentioned in the script, The Alto Knights [a social club that used to exist in NYC’s Little Italy neighborhood], which we’ve now made the title.
I said ‘How did you know about this location for the social club that they would go to?’ and I forget Nick’s answer, but it was a known place when it was in existence. When I was a teenager, I hung out there. Then we talked about the script, and they offered me Costello. Irwin Winkler said what about doing the two parts. I thought about it for a few days, I talked to Barry Levinson about it and that’s how it came.
And it’s interesting because there’s technical stuff with the dolly, where you stand, over where you’re out of the shot. We had cast most of the the mob guys in my crew and Genovese’s crew so I interviewed most of them and decided this one guy would be really good to help me. His name is Joe Bacino. He learned both parts [playing a stand-in role for De Niro when he was in character opposite of Costello or Genovese]. It was a tremendous help. I couldn’t have done it with somebody just reading the lines. I needed an actor, and he was terrific. I was also concerned about overlap. I was worried about the spontaneity of interacting with him and what the limitations were because this was a technical type of thing, but it worked out pretty well.
Reader’s Digest: This is your first collaboration on-screen, how did you prepare to portray the complex relationship between Frank and Bobbie Costello?
Debra Messing: Because these are real people, we had a lot of source material, a lot of books written about Frank Costello and a lot of important nuggets about Bobbie. There were lots of pictures of them together. I was actually able to connect with her great-nephew, who spent the last two years of Bobbie’s life with her. I think that was the foundation coming into it.
Reader’s Digest: Given the intense and dramatic nature of the film, what moments during filming might have been challenging for you or memorable?
Robert De Niro: I was concerned about the scenes with myself, the two characters and how we would work on those, especially both scenes where Frank and Vito meet—the second one, especially in this fancy restaurant. We worked a lot on that with Barry and his assistant and just made sure we got it all right.
Debra Messing: Well, all of it was memorable for me. Working with this quartet of cinematic legends was something I never could imagine would be bestowed on me, so that was just thrilling every day. In terms of challenges, I don’t think that there were any, at least for me, physical challenges. The challenges were more internal, about just being true to this person and remembering her age, accent and body language, and keeping it consistent.
Reader’s Digest: Robert, you have two of your pets in the film. How did that come to be and Debra, how did the two dogs take to you while filming?
Robert De Niro: Jason Sosnoff, one of the producers, was talking to Barry during our makeup tests about the dogs—there’s a scene where he [Frank] walks a dog. So my girlfriend overheard and said ‘What about our dogs?’ She showed them to Jason and Jason showed them to Barry and he liked them. I don’t think he met them. I don’t know if we brought them over to meet him. I might have, but I forgot [laughs, makes dog barking sounds].
Debra Messing: Dog auditions! [laughs]. I just thought they were perfect and adorable. They couldn’t have children, Bobbie and Frank, and that was a real heartache for Frank so the dogs literally became their babies, their children. When I had a scene by myself, watching television, I said ‘I should have my babies with me,’ and so I was like, ‘Bob can I have your dogs?’ He was like ‘Yeah!’ So those dogs got more screen time then some other people [laughs.] I saw them last night for the first time in two years and I said, ‘Mommy misses you.’ It was a great reunion.
Rapid Response with Robert De Niro and Debra Messing
Want more fun tidbits about De Niro and Messing? Check out their answers below.
Reader’s Digest: What’s your favorite American comfort food?
Debra Messing: My favorite comfort food, I guess would have to be pizza.
Robert De Niro: I’d say pizza too. When in doubt, have pizza.
Reader’s Digest: What advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
Robert De Niro: I have a lot of advice to give to my younger self. I remember I met a guy when I was a kid, maybe in my teens, and he was a salesman at a store and he said, ‘If I only knew then what I know now.’ So I have a lot to tell my younger self. Also, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do certain things, but be aware of the consequences. You have to learn through those experiences.
Debra Messing: Don’t listen to anyone. Just follow your instincts.
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At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this interview with actors Robert De Niro and Debra Messing, Reader’s Digest Associate Editor Mariah Thomas tapped her experiences as a celebrity interviewer, lifestyle writer and editor of more than five years to ask engaging and exclusive questions to share with readers. This in-person interview took place on March 16, 2025. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
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