Which actor plays Frank Sheeran in Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman?

Robert De Niro plays Frank Sheeran in Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman.

The 2019 film presents Sheeran as a former labor-union official and truck driver who becomes involved with organized crime. Its story is based on Charles Brandt’s book I Heard You Paint Houses, which recounts Brandt’s interviews with Sheeran and his claims about his criminal associations.

De Niro’s performance spans several decades of Sheeran’s life. Digital de-aging technology was used so that he could portray the character at younger ages without traditional makeup designed to imitate youth. Al Pacino plays Jimmy Hoffa, while Joe Pesci plays Russell Bufalino.

The film uses a reflective, late-life structure rather than a straightforward rise-and-fall gangster narrative. It examines aging, regret, loyalty, and isolation. Because the story includes disputed claims about historical events, viewers should distinguish the film’s dramatization from independently established history.