Joe Pesci a comedic sidekick and best friend to protagonist detectives Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) in the "Lethal Weapon" sequels, released in 1989, 1992 and 1998. In 1990, he reunited with Scorsese and De Niro for "Goodfellas", wherein he played mobster Tommy DeVito, based on real-life mobster Thomas DeSimone. (Tommy DeVito is also the name of Pesci's old acquaintance from Belleville, New Jersey, and a member of The Four Seasons, but contrary to popular belief, the naming is coincidental.) Old friend Frank Vincent also appears in the film; Pesci's character kills Vincent's character in a rage in
Robert De Niro the 15th Moscow International Film Festival. He appeared in "This Boy's Life" (1993). Around this time, he was offered the role of Mitch Leary in "In the Line of Fire" (1993). However, due to scheduling conflicts with his directorial debut "A Bronx Tale" (1993), he gave up the role to John Malkovich, who later received an Academy Award nomination for it. In "A Bronx Tale", which De Niro agreed to direct after seeing the screenwriter's one-man off-Broadway play, he played a bus driver who struggles to keep his son away from a local mobster. At the 20th Moscow International Film