Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro paid a visit to Istanbul to attend a ceremony at one of his chain restaurants located in the city.

At a press conference after the ceremony, De Niro said he was happy to be in Istanbul. Replying to a question about a possible film project in Istanbul, he said he did not have any such plans at the moment. However, he said the city was a great place to make films. "There are a lot of stories going out here, obviously as everywhere else. This city has a lot of magic," he added.

He said his favorite spot in the city is the carpet bazaar, and he wants to take his daughter there.

He also talked about his 50-year friendship with Al Pacino. "We're all friends. We don't hang out every day, but we have a good solid friendship. We always enjoy talking to each other."

On the recent rise of over-the-top (OTT) platforms, he said: "We couldn't have done 'Irishman' without Netflix. What can I say? I was happy. They gave us everything that we needed."