Robert De Niro makes an Ariana Grande confession — and it's surprising

Newsweek · Jun 03, 2026 · 287 words · By Anne Erickson

Celebrity Professionalism Entertainment News

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Robert De Niro worked with Ariana Grande on the comedy "Focker-In-Law," and now, he's making a confession about his friendship with Grande.

Claims checked 6

Techniques found 2

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center83%

Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Robert De Niro worked with Ariana Grande on the comedy "Focker-In-Law," and now, he's making a confession about his friendship with Grande.

Why it matters

He actually has never seen her in "Wicked." So, yes, we've found at least one person on the planet who hasn't seen that blockbuster film.

Common ground

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor admitted, "I didn't see her movie, and I still am trying to see it, believe it or not, but I want to see it.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Glittering Generalities: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Celebrity Professionalism story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor admitted, "I didn't see her movie"?
How does this story connect Celebrity Professionalism with Entertainment News over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment/music/robert-de-niro-makes-an-ariana-gran…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Glittering Generalities 70% confidence

Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases ('freedom', 'justice') without specifics.

Why it matters: Recognizing glittering generalities helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 6 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

verified Verified By Reference 4

check_circle Corroborated 2

verified

Claim 1: “In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor admitted, "I didn't see her movie"”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While multiple sources confirm De Niro hasn't seen 'Wicked', none of the provided evidence specifically mentions an interview with 'Entertainment Weekly' or the exact quote 'I didn't see her movie'.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert Anthony De Niro ( də NEER-roh; Italian: [de ˈniːro]; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, film producer, and restaurateur. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influ…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_De_Niro

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert De Niro is an American actor and film producer. Widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation, he studied acting at HB Studio, Stella Adler Conservat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_De_Niro_filmography

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Sleepers is a 1996 American legal crime drama film written, produced and directed by Barry Levinson, and based on Lorenzo Carcaterra's 1995 book of the same name. The film stars an ensemble cast inclu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepers_(film)

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 2: “Robert De Niro worked with Ariana Grande on the comedy "Focker-In-Law"”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia explicitly states that 'Focker-in-Law' is an upcoming comedy film starring Robert De Niro and that Ariana Grande is also part of the cast (confirmed via web search results mentioning her role in the film).

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The American singer-songwriter and actress Ariana Grande has appeared in various visual media. She has starred in 61 music videos and acted in a numerous of films and television shows. She began her c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariana_Grande_videography

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Focker-in-Law is an upcoming American comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg. It is the fourth installment in the Fockers film series and the sequel to Little Fockers (2010). Robert De Niro…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focker-in-Law

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Meet the Parents is a film series following the character Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) as he interacts with his family and in-laws. The series is made up of three films: Meet the Parents (2000), Meet the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meet_the_Parents_(film_series)

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 3: “he also said that he knew about Grande because "I had seen her in some stuff with my daughter, some sitcom thing she had done."”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence does not contain any mention of Robert De Niro discussing seeing Ariana Grande in a sitcom with his daughter.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “He actually has never seen her in "Wicked."”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results (dated 2026) confirm that Robert De Niro has not yet seen Ariana Grande in the movie 'Wicked'.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert Henry De Niro (May 3, 1922 – May 3, 1993), better known as Robert or Bob De Niro Sr., was an American painter and the father of actor Robert De Niro.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_De_Niro_Sr.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 5: “"Focker-In-Law," which debuts in theaters Nov. 25”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While 'Focker-in-Law' is confirmed as an upcoming film, none of the provided evidence specifies a release date of November 25.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — November is the 11th and penultimate month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 30 days. November was the ninth month of the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC. November retaine…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — "November Rain" is a song by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. Written by the band's lead vocalist Axl Rose, the power ballad was released in February 1992, by Geffen Records, as the third single…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_Rain

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The November Man is a 2014 spy action thriller film based on the novel There Are No Spies by Bill Granger, which is the seventh installment in The November Man novel series, published in 1987. A Briti…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_November_Man

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 6: “In the film, she plays Olivia, the girlfriend of Henry Focker.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm that Ariana Grande plays Olivia, the girlfriend of Henry Focker (played by Skylar Gisondo), in the film 'Focker-in-Law'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Focker-in-Law is an upcoming American comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg. It is the fourth installment in the Fockers film series and the sequel to Little Fockers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focker-in-Law

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Grande plays Olivia, the girlfriend of Greg Focker’s son, Henry, played by Skylar Gisondo. The trailer opens with Robert De Niro, reprising his role as Jack Byrnes, giving Olivia a lie detector test.
https://13wham.com/news/entertainment/ariana-grande-lie-dete…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — ‘Focker In-Law’ Trailer: Ariana Grande Infiltrates Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro’s Dysfunctional Family. Yesterday. By Matt Donnelly.The official trailer for ‘FOCKER IN-LAW’ has been released. Starri…
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.