Famous friends surrounded Robert De Niro as he attended the funeral of his grandson Leandro “Leo” De Niro-Rodriguez on Friday, July 7. Among those who paid their respects to the son of Robert’s eldest daughter Drena De Niro were Dead Zone star Christopher Walken and mega music producer Tommy Mottola. In photos you can SEE HERE via The Daily Mail, the Goodfellas actor, 79, was seen covering his face with a newspaper and wearing a protective face mask as he arrived at the funeral, held at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel.
Christopher was snapped wearing a gray suit, the usually comedic actor looking somber in a blue green tie. The two veteran actors starred together in movies over the years including The War With Grandpa, Mistress, and The Deer Hunter.
Robert’s girlfriend Tiffany Chen, with whom he welcomed a new baby in April, was also seen arriving wearing black, her 3-month-old infant held close by a baby wrap. Mariah Carey‘s ex Tommy Mottola was notably seen paying his respects at the sad occasion, as well. Leandro’s bereaved mother Drena, 55, arrived at the funeral wearing sunglasses with a black dress and off-white blazer jacket. The photos come just a day after Robert was photographed at Leandro’s wake.
Leo’s tragic death at the age of 19 was announced on July 3 by his mother, alongside a phot of the long-haired teen. “My beautiful sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly,” she wrote in the heartbreaking post. “You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life. I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you I don’t know how to live without you but I’ll try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama. You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you.”
Leandro was the son of Robert’s daughter and the artist Carlos Rodriguez. Drena later claimed in an Instagram comment that he passed away as a result of ingesting fentanyl-laced pills.
The Grudge Match star publicly mourned his grandson in an emotional statement one day after his July 2 death. “I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo,” the actor said in a statement directly to HollywoodLife on July 3. “We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.”
