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Movie legend Robert De Niro will pick up an unusual accolade at next month's Venice Film Festival: honorary Italian citizenship, reports Ireland Online.
The 60-year-old star will travel to the Italian city to promote his new animated film Shark Tale, in which he provides the voice for shark mob boss Don Lino.
Organisers of the annual festival are rushing through paperwork to grant him joint citizenship with Italy and the United States.
A spokesman for the event says: "He has grounds for a claim through his great-grandparents who emigrated to America 100 years ago. This would be the perfect way to start next month's festival."
- AGENCIES
De Niro goes Italian
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