Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta had an encounter with real-life Mafia hitmen as they filmed gangster classic GOODFELLAS - and the mobsters wanted roles in the film.
The cast and crew headed out for a meal in New York after wrapping a day's filming on the 1990 movie, and were seated close to a group of Mafiosi in the restaurant.
And they were shocked when the thugs approached their table and regaled De Niro, Liotta, and director Martin Scorsese with stories of their blood-curdling antics - in a bid to land parts in the film.
Liotta says, "One night we all went to a restaurant and there was a bunch of made men there, real goombahs (Italian-Americans). They kept themselves to themselves the whole way through our meal, but then as coffee arrived they stepped up and surrounded the table.
"These guys were telling stories: 'I knew this guy who pushed someone out a window', 'I knew this guy who shoved someone in front of a train.' They wouldn't say it, but these stories were obviously about themselves - they were trying to outdo each other in an attempt to get into the picture. It was a strange night."