Robert De Niro pays tribute to Charles Grodin following Midnight Run co-star’s death

Oscar winner said he was ‘very very sad’ after hearing the news

Robert De Niro has paid tribute to his Midnight Run co-star Charles Grodin.

On Tuesday (18 May), Grodin died of bone marrow cancer, aged 86.

The news, which was announced by his son, prompted an outpouring of love for the actor, whose credits included The Heartbreak Kid, Heaven Can Wait and the first two Beethoven films.

De Niro, who starred opposite Grodin in the 1988 comedy Midnight Run, was one such star to pay tribute.

In a statement, the actor said: “Chuck was as good a person as he was an actor. Midnight Run was a great project to work on, and Chuck made it an even better one.”

De Niro continued: “He will be missed. I am very, very sad to hear of his passing.”

In the film, Grodin plays Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas, an accountant who finds himself in the sights of De Niro’s bounty hunter, Jack Walsh.

Midnight Run has developed a strong fanbase over the years.

In the 2000s, Grodin gave up acting for a period to help raise his two children, Marion and Nicholas.

Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in 1988 comedy ‘Midnight Run’ (Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock)

He took on a handful of roles in later life, including an appearance in director Noah Baumbach’s While We’re Young in 2015.

His final film appearance was in 2017’s An Imperfect Murder, opposite Alec Baldwin and Sienna Miller.