Robert De Niro
Who was Robert De Niro?
American actor, director and producer (born 1943)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Robert De Niro (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. was born on August 17, 1943, in Manhattan, New York City. His parents, Virginia Admiral and Robert De Niro Sr., were both artists, with his father being a painter and sculptor. They divorced when he was two, and his mother primarily raised him in Greenwich Village and Little Italy. De Niro attended several schools, including P.S. 41, Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School, and Rhodes Preparatory School. He dropped out at 16 to pursue acting.
He started his acting training at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and later trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and HB Studio, where he honed his method acting skills. De Niro had his first film role in 1963 in "The Wedding Party," directed by Brian De Palma. His big break came with his work with director Martin Scorsese, starting with "Mean Streets" in 1973. This collaboration would become one of the most famous director-actor pairings in film history, lasting decades with numerous acclaimed movies.
The 1970s made De Niro a leading dramatic actor in America. His role as young Vito Corleone in "The Godfather Part II" (1974) won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was the first actor to win an Oscar for playing the same character as another Oscar winner. He continued to rise with strong performances in "Taxi Driver" (1976) and "The Deer Hunter" (1978), both earning him Academy Award nominations for Best Actor. His role as boxer Jake LaMotta in "Raging Bull" (1980), which required him to gain 60 pounds, showed his dedication to realistic portrayals and won him the Academy Award for Best Actor.
In addition to acting, De Niro moved into directing and producing. He directed "A Bronx Tale" in 1993, which he also produced and starred in. As a producer, he's been involved with various projects through his companies, including Tribeca Productions, which he co-founded. He also co-founded the Tribeca Film Festival in 2002 with Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, aiming to help restore lower Manhattan after the September 11 attacks. In his personal life, De Niro has been married twice: first to Diahnne Abbott from 1976 to 1988 and later to Grace Hightower from 1997 to 2018, with whom he has had a complex relationship.
Before Fame
Growing up in New York's Greenwich Village during the 1950s, De Niro was surrounded by art thanks to his painter parents. After they divorced, he mainly lived with his mother. As a teenager, he got interested in acting and started performing in local theater. At 16, he decided to leave high school to pursue acting full-time, showing his strong commitment to the craft and leading him to study with some of New York's top acting teachers.
De Niro's early career matched up with New Hollywood's rise in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which focused on character-driven stories and method acting. His training in method acting, along with his intense preparation for roles, was just right for this new phase of American cinema that prioritized realistic and genuine performances over the traditional glamour of Hollywood.
Key Achievements
- Won Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor (The Godfather Part II, 1975) and Best Actor (Raging Bull, 1981)
- Co-founded the Tribeca Film Festival in 2002, which became one of the most prominent film festivals in North America
- Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, the highest civilian honor in the United States
- Established a legendary collaborative relationship with director Martin Scorsese spanning over 50 years and multiple acclaimed films
- Received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2003, recognizing his contribution to American cinema
Did You Know?
- 01.To prepare for his role as a cab driver in "Taxi Driver," De Niro obtained a taxi license and worked 12-hour shifts driving a cab around New York City for several weeks
- 02.He learned to speak Sicilian for his role as young Vito Corleone in "The Godfather Part II," working with a dialect coach to master the authentic pronunciation
- 03.For "Raging Bull," he trained for over a year to box professionally and fought in three actual boxing matches in Brooklyn gyms
- 04.His restaurant Nobu, co-owned with chef Nobu Matsuhisa, has expanded into a global chain with locations in major cities worldwide
- 05.He turned down the lead role in "Pretty Woman" and the role of Sonny in "The Godfather" early in his career
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Donostia Award | 2000 | — |
| Academy Award for Best Actor | 1981 | — |
| Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor | 1975 | — |
| Theatre World Special Award | 1987 | — |
| Presidential Medal of Freedom | 2016 | — |
| Kennedy Center Honors | — | — |
| AFI Life Achievement Award | 2003 | — |
| Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic | — | — |
| Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres | — | — |
| Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama | 1980 | — |