Screen idol Robert De Niro denied that he deliberately stereotyped Italian-Americans by the parts he played in his movies, including his latest role in the animated blockbuster "Shark Tale".

"The characters that I play are real," De Niro told a press conference in Venice to mark the world premier of "Shark Tale".

"They are real so they have as much right to be portrayed as any other characters. There are other characters I have played, other than those ones that have been called stereotypes or whatever. So."

De Niro's famous portrayals of Mafia characters have come under criticism from Italian-American associations following plans by the Rome government to grant the New York-born actor Italian citizenship.

The controversy has been fuelled by the actor's portrayal as Don Lino, a great white shark who is Godfather of the underwater underworld in the animated "Shark Tale".

"The interesting thing is that of the people that have said this not one of them have seen the movie," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, the film's executive producer.

De Niro told reporters that although he's also part Dutch, French, German and Irish, "I probably identify more with my Italian side than the other parts".

"My father was an artist and that might have something to do with it, I don't know. Italy is such a great, wonderful country, I'm very proud and honoured to be asked to be a citizen. That's all I can say."

De Niro has already discovered the knack of telling Italians what they want to hear. Asked by one journalist if he would prefer Italian women, or Italian food, if forced to choose, the actor replied: "Well, I don't discriminate."

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