Robert De Niro praises Ariana Grande's 'Focker-In-Law' performance: 'Very professional'

'Focker-In-Law' poster (Universal Pictures)

Robert De Niro enjoyed working with Ariana Grande on their upcoming comedy Focker-In-Law — but he has yet to see her in Wicked, the movie that earned her an Oscar nomination.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the legendary actor said, "I didn't see her movie, and I still am trying to see it, believe it or not, but I want to see it. I'm going to see it with my daughter. And she's, of course, seen it."

Despite missing Wicked, De Niro tells EW he was aware of Ariana because "I had seen her in some stuff with my daughter, some sitcom thing she had done. I'm forgetting the name. My kid was into that. I was aware of her then and, of course, aware of her in other ways. She was great."

De Niro was likely referring to one of Ariana's Nickelodeon shows, Victorious or Sam & Cat.

The actor, who's 82, praised Ari's work in Focker-In-Law as Olivia, the girlfriend of Henry Focker, who's the grandson of De Niro's character, Jack.

"She was very professional," he says. "She's terrific and very quick and got it all. She was very much part of the whole process."

"I liked her. Nice kid."

Focker-In-Law is in theaters Nov. 25.