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Thread: The Intern

  1. #1
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    The Intern

    I know, I know, not really a martial arts film, but there's Tai Chi in it. We first got wind of it and posted about it here. The article below, from examiner blogger and Kung Fu Tai Chi contributor Violet Li, reminded me. I just got invited to a screener, so I'm starting this thread now, in the odd chance that I decide to review it. I love DeNiro and Hathaway.

    Teaching Robert De Niro Tai Chi
    September 11, 2015 3:59 PM MST

    American movie star Robert De Niro has been nominated dozens of times for major film awards and won 21 of them including two Oscars and one Golden Globe Award in addition to 14 other special awards. He is versatile but he is best known as a tough guy. It is humorous when Director Nancy Meyers wanted this “raging bull” to play Tai Chi (Taiji) in the comedy The Intern.

    Master Tiffany Chen (left) teaches Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway Tai Chi.

    Jules Ostin, played by Anne Hathaway, the founder and CEO of a fashion ecommerce startup, agrees to a community outreach program that a retired senior Ben Whittaker, played by Robert De Niro, will intern at her firm. Warner Bros. Pictures will distribute the film in the U.S., Canada, and internationally and has scheduled to release it on Sept. 25, 2015.

    Writer-director Nancy Meyers has a unique talent to dissect a seemingly mundane topic of a relationship between men and women, young and old, and parents and children with a laser-sharp lens and present it in a hilarious way. Her movies are always heart-warming yet thought-provoking. Her credits include box-office winners Private Benjamin, Baby Boom, Father of the Bride, The Parent Trap, What Women Want, Something’s Gotta Give, The Holiday, It’s Complicated, among others.

    Originally, Nancy planned to invite Grandmaster William C.C. Chen of New York City to teach Robert De Niro Tai Chi so Robert could act like a seasoned Tai Chi practitioner. She contemplated when she met Master Tiffany Chen, who accompanied Grandmaster Chen for their first meeting in Manhattan in April 2014. Tiffany recalled that the second meeting with Nancy was in the following week with the participation of Robert De Niro as well. Tiffany revealed that even though Nancy and Robert are among the biggest names in Hollywood but they were very humble. They treated Grandmaster Chen as the star when they met.

    Born in the U.S. to Grandmaster Chen, Tiffany was a Tai Chi Push Hands champion at multiple National and International tournaments. Inside Kung Fu Magazine declared her “Woman of the Year” in 2011. Nevertheless, she is not your typical Tai Chi Master. She did not learn Tai Chi until she was a teenager. She also has a passion for western-style boxing and recently started her own line of skin-care products. You can read more about her via a link here. At 5’8”, this 37-year-old master is tall, beautiful, spunky, and hip. Nancy Meyers is a master of contrast, who astutely employs unconventional subjects or characters to tell a deeper and often funnier story. She told Tiffany that she “stole” her dad’s role and would play Robert’s Tai Chi teacher in the movie. Nancy modified the script accordingly.

    If you ever try Tai Chi, you will see that even though Tai Chi looks simple and effortless, it is extremely difficult to learn. In The Intern, there are a couple of short scenes where Robert performs Tai Chi. But Robert had to work hard and studied with Tiffany six days a week for five straight months. The movie was in a tight production cycle; Robert had to take Tai Chi lessons in between shots. The movie was filmed at various locations throughout New York City, e.g. Prospect Park, and the Waldorf Astoria New York. Tiffany would meet him at the designated filming location for the day and be ready to teach him whenever there was a break. One time they met at 7 a.m. to have a class. Robert also had private lessons at Grandmaster Chen’s school in Manhattan. Tiffany said that Robert was very cool and she even called him Bob.

    Almost all Tai Chi forms will turn to all four directions during the routine and a practitioner will have his back facing the audience if performing on a stage. For a better filming angle, Tiffany worked with a choreographer to modify the sequence. When asked whether Grandmaster Chen provided any suggestions for the movements, Tiffany said no. However, Grandmaster Chen emphasized making sure that Robert was sitting (or sinking) his Kua’s (or hip joints).

    The Intern is a love story but not a romance. In the movie, the odd couple Jules and Ben build their relationship by sharing their knowledge and caring for each other. Jules taught Ben how to utilize technology for business and daily life and Ben shared his experience with Jules, which are the fundamentals of life. Tai Chi Chuan is more than just a martial art or healing art, it is about cultivating a perspective toward life or a holistic way of living. “Experience never gets old,” claims the movie’s tagline. In The Intern, we see how the ancient Chinese art Tai Chi Chuan becomes the focus of life.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  2. #2
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    First forum review

    Caught this on British Airlines while crossing the Atlantic. It wasn't the sort of film that needed a big screen and worked well on those tiny airplane seat-back screens. Whenever I went to the bathroom, I saw a lot of other passengers watching it.

    The Tai Chi bookends this film, very predictably so, once you see the opening scene of it. There's nothing else martial here, but it's a nice Tai Chi moment. I'm happy for Tiffany Chen and that she got Tai Chi the exposure here.

    Deniro plays the nicest retiree ever. Hathaway is the nicest working women heading a start-up ever. Rene Russo is cougar-ific. It's a nice film, very family friendly, very predictable, very white, like a bowl of Wheaties and milk. No swordfights. I'm glad I didn't review it.
    Gene Ching
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  3. #3
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    Tiffany Chen...

    ...now I'm really happy for her. Wow.

    Who Is Tiffany Chen? 5 Things to Know About Robert De Niro’s Girlfriend Amid Baby News
    By Meredith Nardino May 10, 2023



    Tiffany Chen and Robert De NiroBav Media/SplashNews.com; Rob Latour/Shutterstock

    Mystery woman no more. Robert De Niro has kept his relationship with Tiffany Chen under wraps since the pair were first linked in 2021.

    The twosome reportedly connected on the set of 2015’s The Intern. At the time, the Oscar winner was married to Grace Hightower, with whom he welcomed son Elliot and daughter Helen in 1998 and 2011, respectively.

    De Niro and the socialite tied the knot in 1997, two years before he filed for divorce and sued Hightower for custody of their son. The pair later reconciled and renewed their vows in 2004, but they called it quits for good in 2018.

    “Grace and I have two beautiful children together. We are entering a period of transition in our relationship, which is a difficult but constructive process,” the Meet the Parents actor noted in a statement to Us Weekly at the time.

    Three years later, De Niro was photographed holding hands with Chen on a romantic European getaway. The duo were caught packing on the PDA while on a yacht with friends.

    Over the years, the Taxi Driver star and the competitive martial artist have remained tight-lipped about their relationship. The pair were spotted meeting up with De Niro’s pals Billy Crystal and Harvey Keitel at Giorgio Baldi in Los Angeles in April 2023, one month before the Godfather Part II actor announced the arrival of his seventh child.

    The New York native told ET Canada in May 2023 that he “just had” baby No. 7, but he did not immediately reveal the identity of the child’s mother. His About My Father costar Kim Cattrall hinted later that month that De Niro welcomed the newborn with Chen.

    “God bless him. His significant other, Tiffany, is such a beautiful woman,” the Sex and the City alum gushed to Extra. “She came to the set once with her family and watched filming, and she was gorgeous and sweet. I’m happy for both of them.”

    De Niro first became a father in 1976, welcoming son Raphael with his then-wife, Diahnne Abbott. He also adopted Abbott’s daughter from a previous relationship, Drena, before the couple’s 1988 split.

    The Golden Globe winner went on to welcome twin sons Julian and Aaron via surrogate with model Toukie Smith, whom he dated from 1988 to 1996. While fans were shocked to hear De Niro’s family expanded even further in 2023 — at 79 years old — he assured Page Six the pregnancy was “planned.”

    “How you could not plan that kind of thing?” he teased while promoting About My Father.

    Sign up for Us Weekly's free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!

    Scroll down to learn more about Chen:

    Credit: Bav Media/SplashNews.com

    1. What Does Tiffany Chen Do for a Living?
    Chen is a martial arts professional and instructor who has earned numerous titles and awards from around the globe. She was inducted into Inside Kung-Fu magazine's Hall of Fame in February 2011 at the age of 26. As a child, Chen took up ballet, figure skating, swimming and gymnastics before following in her dad's martial arts footsteps.


    Credit: Francois Duhamel/Waverly/Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock

    2. How Did Tiffany Chen Meet Robert De Niro?
    Chen's talents landed her a role in the 2015 movie The Intern where she taught tai chi to De Niro and costar Anne Hathaway. The film is reportedly how the couple were introduced, though they didn't begin their romance until years later.


    Credit: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

    3. When Did Tiffany Chen Start Dating Robert De Niro?
    The twosome were romantically linked in summer 2021 after they were spotted holding hands in the South of France. Pics obtained by the Daily Mail at the time showed the pair packing on the PDA on a luxury yacht. While they've been photographed together countless times since, neither De Niro nor Chen have publicly confirmed their relationship.


    Credit: JLDuenas/SplashNews.com

    4. Who Are Tiffany Chen's Parents?
    The world champion is the daughter of Yang Tai Chi Grandmaster William C. C. Chen, who runs his own martial arts academy.

    "My plan has always been to learn how to be as great as my father," Tiffany noted during a 2011 interview. "My father is such an inspiration and has given back so much, working together with my mother [Priscilla] at our tai chi school and through his teaching around the world. He is an amazing mentor and role model."


    Credit: LONE WOLF/MEGA

    5. Has Tiffany Chen Been Married Before?
    Little is known about Tiffany's prior relationships and dating life. In a 2011 interview, she explained the importance of having "generous, beautiful people" in her circle. "Surrounding yourself with good people creates a symbiotic relationship that makes everyone's quality of life go up exponentially," she said.
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    Gene Ching
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  4. #4
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    Well, I'm happy for them. The Tai Chi scene of The Intern definitely stuck on me .

  5. #5
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    Does this need its own thread?

    Robert De Niro, Tiffany Chen attend Tribeca Film Festival after welcoming baby Gia: See photos
    Charles Trepany
    USA TODAY

    Robert De Niro stepped out with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen two months after the couple welcomed a child together.

    The pair were photographed Wednesday holding hands on the red carpet at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City as they attended a screening of "Kiss the Future." De Niro, 79, previously revealed he welcomed his seventh child in April with Chen.

    De Niro's representative Stan Rosenfield confirmed the baby's birth to USA TODAY on May 9, but did not provide any details. On May 11, the "Godfather" star shared more details with "CBS Mornings" host Gayle King, who showed off the first photo of the baby girl, Gia Virginia.

    "I said 'Could I please, please, please break the news about what kind of baby is it? What's the baby's name? How did this come about?' " King said on air, adding that the actor agreed to share more about the youngster.


    Robert De Niro and his girlfriend Tiffany Chen arrive to the screening of "Kiss the Future" during the opening night of the Tribeca Film Festival at OKX Theater in New York City on June 7.

    Gayle said that baby De Niro was born April 6 and weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces.

    De Niro is also dad to Drena, 51, and Raphael, 46, from his first marriage to Diahnne Abbott. He shares twins Julian and Aaron, 27, with Toukie Smith, whom he never married. And he shares Elliot, 25, and Helen Grace, 11, with Grace Hightower, whom he wed in 1997 and separated from in 2018. He is also a grandfather.

    The actor first spilled the news about his new addition in an interview with ET Canada during a conversation about his film "About My Father", released May 26.


    De Niro and Chen welcomed a baby together in April.

    When reporter Brittnee Blair noted De Niro's six kids, he corrected her, saying, "Seven, actually."

    "I just had a baby," he revealed.

    He also spoke to Blair about fatherhood, saying he believes "in being loving with (his) kids,” but that sometimes, parents have “to be stern about stuff.”

    “I mean, there’s no way around it with kids. I don’t like to have to lay down the law and stuff like that. But, (sometimes) you just have no choice,” he said. “And any parent, I think, would say the same thing. You always want to do the right thing by the children and give them the benefit of the doubt but sometimes you can’t.”

    More:Robert De Niro welcomes seventh child at 79, shares name and first photo

    Contributing: Morgan Hines
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    Gene Ching
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  6. #6
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    Started a 'Tiffany Chen & Robert DeNiro'

    Robert De Niro’s partner Tiffany Chen diagnosed with Bell’s palsy after giving birth


    Martial arts instructor Tiffany Chen shares that she was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy shortly after giving birth to her first child — and partner Robert De Niro’s seventh — in April. (Andy Kropa / Invision / Associated Press)
    BY NARDINE SAADSTAFF WRITER
    JULY 14, 2023 8:57 AM PT


    Robert De Niro’s partner Tiffany Chen has revealed that she was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy after giving birth in April.

    Chen opened up about the postpartum health complication in an interview with “CBS Mornings” host Gayle King, who revealed the tot’s name and first photo in May after getting the runaround from the Oscar-winning actor. On Friday, the newborn, Gia Virginia Chen De Niro, made her TV debut.

    Chen said that despite a “really easy” pregnancy with De Niro’s seventh child, “everything was starting to just fall down on itself” after her C-section delivery. The martial arts instructor also described her face as “melting on itself.”



    Right after the delivery, she felt a sharp pain behind her ear and noticed that her face was “looking odder.” Doctors initially told her the symptoms were likely a result of fluid buildup after giving birth, but the symptoms worsened when she got home. Her tongue felt strange, “a little tingly, starting to get a little bit numb,” and in a week she was readmitted to the hospital.

    “I lost all facial function the minute I got into the hospital. And the one thing that threw everybody off was that it was perfectly symmetrical how everything had fallen and how everything wasn’t working,” she said.

    The athlete’s MRI showed that she had Bell’s palsy, a neurological disorder that causes severe muscle weakness or facial paralysis. The condition usually affects one side of the face. It can be temporary and tends to resolve itself or with some treatment, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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    Chen said that “everything fell,” including her lower lip, making it hard for her to speak or make any facial expressions. And the palsy affected both sides of her face, which is rare.

    “I got to a point where it was just hanging and I’d have to hold it up,” she said. “And to talk, I’d have to hold my chin and I’d have to manipulate my lower lip to make certain sounds. I couldn’t say ‘Bob.’”

    While her symptoms have improved, some self-conscious issues have remained, including not being able to smile at Gia.

    “I couldn’t give her kisses. That’s what made me self-conscious,” Chen said, later adding, “The thing I did worry about was, ‘What if it didn’t get better?’ Was my kid going to get made fun of for having the weird-looking mom? That’s the only time, like, vanity comes into play. It’s how it affects the child.”

    Chen was frustrated by negative commentary that focused on her appearance after initial headlines about De Niro’s age at Gia’s birth subsided. (De Niro is 79 and has six other children.)

    “I’m like, ‘Mind your own business a bit. And if you want to say something, don’t always attach what you think in your mind as the story. You don’t know us. You don’t know what happened in somebody’s life,’” Chen said. “People were saying all sorts of nasty things about, you know, my appearance and me being angry. And I’m just kind of like, ‘This is, like, the happiest time in my life.’”

    The comments also encouraged Chen to share her story to be an ally to other women who are criticized in similar manners.

    Chen, who met De Niro when she played his tai chi instructor in his 2015 comedy “The Intern,” said that he was sweet and supportive throughout the ordeal.

    “[De Niro] tried to say that he didn’t see any difference, he didn’t see any change,” Chen laughed. “He was like ‘No. ... You look fine.’ He’s like, ‘Maybe you look a little stern.’ And I’m like ‘Really?’ My whole face has melted on itself. But he was very strong, very supportive.”

    Chen’s revelation comes amid news that a woman who allegedly sold fentanyl-laced pills to De Niro’s 19-year-old grandson Leandro was arrested. Leandro died earlier this month, but no cause of death was given at the time.


    Nardine Saad covers breaking entertainment news, trending culture topics, celebrities and their kin for the Los Angeles Times. She joined The Times in 2010 as a MetPro trainee and has reported from homicide scenes, flooded canyons, red carpet premieres and award shows.
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