In the 1995 film "Heat," the surname of Robert De Niro's professional thief Neil is McCauley.
Neil McCauley is a disciplined Los Angeles career criminal who leads a small crew of highly skilled thieves. He follows a strict, emotionally detached code, keeping his personal life separate from his work and preparing carefully for every robbery. His closest associates include Chris Shiherlis, Michael Cheritto and Trejo.
The film's main conflict develops when McCauley becomes the target of LAPD lieutenant Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino. Although they stand on opposite sides of the law, both men recognize a similar level of dedication in each other. Their famous coffee-shop meeting is one of the film's defining scenes.
Michael Mann based the character's name and some of the story's events on real Chicago criminal Neil McCauley, who was pursued by police officer Chuck Adamson. The other surnames in the choices belong to different characters: Van Zant is a money launderer, Shiherlis is a member of McCauley's crew, and Hanna is the detective hunting him.