Robert De Niro is taking on his first major TV role in Netflix’s upcoming political thriller, Zero Day - but make sure you catch this very different but equally watchable comedy-drama first. The iconic Taxi Driver star will portray former US president George Mullen, who’s tasked to head up a team to investigate a devastating global cyberattack. It marks De Niro’s first lead role in a TV series and his latest collaboration with Netflix after Martin Scorsese’s 2019 crime epic The Irishman.
Expected to be one of the biggest streaming hits of 2025, the star’s countless fans are all eagerly anticipating the miniseries’ release on Thursday, 20th February. Until then, movie buffs are encouraged to check out some of the cinema legend’s lighter fare in the run-up to his riveting new thriller, and Netflix has the perfect pick. In 2015, De Niro teamed up with beloved actress Anne Hathaway for the heartwarming comedy film The Intern, the last feature film of acclaimed director Nancy Meyers.
He portrays retired widower Ben Whittaker who discovers a new lease on life when he finds himself struggling with his boring routine after leaving his career and is hired by Jules Ostin (played by Hathaway), the CEO of a fast-growing fashion start-up. Moviegoers were utterly charmed by the story of an older intern adapting to the modern workplace, which sees him develop a touching friendship with Jules and even find romance again with massage therapist Fiona Farwell (Rene Russo).
One fan raved in a five-star Google review: “I have a thing for feel-good movies, and The Intern is a gem that perfectly fits the bill.”. They went on to praise the film’s cast, before adding: “Overall, I loved The Intern. It's a heartwarming movie that I would personally rate five stars.”. Another ecstatic review said: “The Intern is a delightful, feel-good movie that strikes a perfect balance between humour, warmth, and life lessons.
“The chemistry between De Niro and Hathaway is simply wonderful. De Niro brings a calm, wise, and likable presence to his role, while Hathaway’s portrayal of a modern-day entrepreneur struggling to balance her personal and professional life is both relatable and inspiring. “The Intern is a delightful blend of humour, heart, and wisdom, perfect for a light watch that leaves you smiling and feeling good about life. Highly recommend!”.
One enthusiastic film fan wrote on Letterboxd: “This will always feel like a warm hug for me!! I wish Ben was my grandpa.”. Someone else said in yet another five star review: “Totally surprised me. I mean this made my day, week, or even month. “It's been so long since a movie made me happy for entire duration. This film had everything tbh from start to [end].”. And a final fan gushed: “Spectacular, fast pacing, motivated, inspirational, happy, smiling, wanna go to work, Anne Hathaway in fashion movies.
“I don't know how to explain this movie is so good and motivational. This could be my comfort and motivation movie when I'm on burnout, never shut my mouth from smiling while watching this.”. If you feel like seeing a lighter side to De Niro or perhaps need a break from the thrills once Zero Day has hit screens, you simply can’t go wrong with The Intern. The Intern is available to stream on Netflix.
