The Irishman: Ed Sheeran 'related to' Mafia hitman played by Robert De Niro

The revelation reportedly came from the singer himself

Ed Sheeran is reportedly related to the mobster played by Robert De Niro in new film The Irishman.

According to Stephen Graham, who co-stars alongside De Niro and Al Pacino in the movie, the singer is a distant nephew of alleged hitman Frank Sheeran.

“They’re related, you know,” he told The Sun. “Honest to God – I swear on my nana’s life.”

Graham, added: “That’s what Ed said – he says it’s his distant uncle.”

The Irishman follows Sheeran across several decades of his life, tracking his experiences with labour union teamster Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino) and crime boss Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci).

It is director Martin Scorsese‘s best reviewed film since Taxi Driver (1976), according to Rotten Tomatoes.

Production began on the filmmaker’s long-gestating mob drama in 2016 with lucrative rights picked up at Cannes Film Festival. Netflix later acquired worldwide rights to the film for a reported $105m setting a budget of $125m.

Based on Charles Brandt’s book I Heard You Paint Houses, The Irishman marks the ninth collaboration between De Niro and Scorsese. It is the first time Pacino has worked with the director.

The Irishman is out in selected UK cinemas now and will be available to stream on Netflix from 27 November. Read our five-star review here.

We have contacted Sheeran’s reps for comment.