In Robert De Niro, the internationally acclaimed American actor, Rome has received the Italian capital’s best-known municipal award, the “Capitoline Wolf”. The ceremony, decided by Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, was held in a particularly austere manner, in respect for the death of Octavia Stroci, the worker who died last Monday due to the collapse of part of the “Tower of the Counts”.

The 82-year-old movie star – who is of Italian descent – mentioned, among other things, the recent victory of Zohran Mamdani in the New York City municipal election. “People are beginning to understand how serious the situation is. With the election of Mamdani, the time has come to take back our country. We need to free ourselves from this terrible president because I, as an American, feel real embarrassment knowing that I am represented by such a person,” he said.

🎗️Il Sindaco, Roberto Gualtieri, ha conferito a Robert De Niro la #LupaCapitolina, massima onorificenza della città. Il riconoscimento è stato attribuito per il valore culturale e artistico di una carriera che ha segnato la storia del #cinema mondiale.

Info 👉… pic.twitter.com/wLAMjuQr43

— Roma (@Roma) November 6, 2025

“Rome is not a city, it is a living work of art. Every street, every stone, every dish tells a story. To receive a recognition in this capital, which has offered so much to the world and to culture, cinema, and beauty, is truly moving,” De Niro also said. “Rome is a bit like Hollywood, but we must not forget that it is unique,” he added.