Robert De Niro had to wake Williams up for the Once Upon a Time in America mid-scene shoot

In a 2017 interview with People, Williams recalled working with the Italian maestro, who had a different approach to filmmaking than most filmmakers he had worked with over the course of his career. his young career. "When [Sergio Leone] didn't understand," Williams said, "he was waiting for you, like most European directors. They don't direct you. They just wait until you get tired of acting, and you start behaving naturally. And they're starting to get the performance they want."

Leone may have waited too long to shoot a scene where Williams is lying in a hospital bed. Although Williams admitted he had been up late the night before, he felt like he was there in the moment. He might be there physically, but mentally…well, he needed a shot of inspiration from one of the best to do it. As he told People:

"[I] am lying in bed, and we were talking, and then all of a sudden, I feel someone's arm on my shoulder, shaking my shoulder. I look up, and it's Bob De Niro. I'm like, 'Hey, what's up?' He said, "You mean your line? We drove, we pulled and you slept. So, do you want to join us?" I had fallen asleep in the middle of the stage. I attribute this to an actor who has extraordinary relaxation skills."

Williams gives a sensational performance in the film, reminding us that he should have been a much bigger star. But he wasn't one to complain. If you followed him on Twitter, you know the man seemed quite content with life back home in rural Vermont. Yet losing him at the age of 71, when he had so much more to give, is heartbreaking. He will be greatly missed.