Robert De Niro reveals how he improvised ‘Taxi Driver’ line that became history

Robert De Niro has revealed the story behind one of the most famous lines in movie history, admitting that the iconic “Are you talkin’ to me?” moment from Taxi Driver was something he created himself.

The actor, 82, shared the behind-the-scenes detail during the 50th anniversary celebration of the classic 1976 film at the Tribeca Festival in New York City, where he reunited with director Martin Scorsese, screenwriter Paul Schrader and co-star Jodie Foster for a special panel.

During the discussion, moderator W. Kamau Bell asked about the origins of the unforgettable mirror scene, where De Niro’s character Travis Bickle rehearses a confrontation with himself.

“I came up with it,” De Niro confirmed.

Schrader explained that the moment was intentionally left open in the script, giving De Niro the freedom to interpret the scene.

“Bob asked me about it once, and I said, ‘Well, it’s just like a kid who’s 8 years old standing in front of a mirror with his cap gun,’” Schrader recalled. “He’s talking to himself, that’s that. I never elaborated on exactly what he was saying.”

Scorsese also revealed that the now-famous scene was filmed under intense pressure, as production was already running behind schedule.

The filmmaker recalled that the crew was several days over schedule and facing pressure from producers, but he wanted De Niro to explore the moment further.

Before filming began, Scorsese told the actor that during the mirror scene, “you gotta say something.”

The director said he watched from the floor as De Niro began experimenting with the character, eventually creating the line that would become legendary.

“I remember just being on the floor with earphones on, and [De Niro] just started playing with the gun and then this stuff started coming out,” Scorsese said.

He recalled encouraging the actor to continue despite pressure to finish filming.

Scorsese said De Niro entered a “trance-like state” during the performance, and the unforgettable phrase naturally emerged from that process.

Released in 1976, Taxi Driver starred De Niro as Travis Bickle, a troubled Vietnam War veteran working as a New York City taxi driver whose isolation and emotional decline drive the film’s story.

The movie became one of the defining films of its era and received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for De Niro and Best Supporting Actress for Foster.