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Matt Lauer presses Robert De Niro to say 'Taxi Driver's' famous phrase

Robert De Niro is famous for refusing to repeat his most famous line from "Taxi Driver." He got the full-court press from Matt Lauer on TODAY.
/ Source: TODAY

When it comes to those four immortal words he uttered in the 1976 classic "Taxi Driver," Robert De Niro still isn't talkin'.

Sitting down with director Martin Scorsese and the film's cast on TODAY Friday, the 72-year-old star coyly refused to repeat the famous line, "You talkin' to me?", despite Matt Lauer's full-court press.

"There's no way I'm letting you go on this ... I am not leaving here, I don't care if I stay up all night, you're saying it," the TODAY anchor needled.

"You just said it in front of a packed house next door," Matt added, referring to the film's 40th anniversary screening at the Manhattan's Beacon Theatre on Thursday night.

RELATED: Scorsese on how 'You Talkin' to Me' went from improv to iconic

But De Niro bobbed-and-weaved like Jake LaMotta of "Raging Bull," brushing off the repeated requests.

"I can't tell you. I'm not going to tell you," he said, laughing.

De Niro is famous for choosing not to repeat the line for interviewers.

There was, however, a consolation prize: Co-star Cybill Shepherd, who played lonely cabbie Travis Bickle's love interest in the film, stepped in and offered her take on the threatening query.

"I've used that line, it just doesn't go over as well," she joked.