Tony Bennett and Martin Scorsese may both be Italian-American icons, but the former isn’t a fan of the latter’s work — or so says Lady Gaga.
The singer made the claim in Los Angeles Thursday night, following a preview screening of her upcoming movie “House of Gucci.”
In the highly anticipated flick — set for release Nov. 24 — Gaga, 35, plays Patrizia Reggiani, the Italian socialite convicted of hiring a hit man to kill her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci, heir to the brand.
In a Q&A session after the screening, Gaga revealed that she received “input” from 95-year-old Bennett about her performance. The 20-time Grammy Award winner is a close friend of Gaga’s and reportedly told her not to turn her portrayal of Reggiani into an Italian “caricature.”
She added that Bennett was not a fan of Martin Scorsese’s films precisely because they leaned into stereotypes about Italians.
“He famously talks about his distaste for Marty Scorsese’s films,” Gaga said of Bennett, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“How much he dislikes the way that Italians are portrayed in crime. Tony does not fully talk to me about this right now [because of] the state that he’s in [with Alzheimer’s], which is probably best for me, but I’ve tried to explain it to him.”
Bennett — born Anthony Dominick Benedetto — is of Italian descent, as is Gaga, whose birth name is Stefani Germanotta. The musicians have been pals since they recorded “Cheek to Cheek,” their album of duets, back in 2014. Their second record, “Love for Sale,” was released in September.
Bennett has been pictured posing up with Scorsese, 78, on the red carpet in the past, so it’s unclear what the Oscar winner would think about Bennett’s critique of his films.
Meanwhile, Bennett has officially retired from singing live, canceling his 2021 tour dates as he battles Alzheimer’s disease.
The legendary singer’s family confirmed the sad health news in a profile for AARP Magazine earlier this year, saying he was diagnosed in 2016 but started to show real signs of decline two years later.
“There’s a lot about him that I miss,” his wife, Susan Bennett, told the magazine. “Because he’s not the old Tony anymore … But when he sings, he’s the old Tony.”
