Robert De Niro is an American star actor, producer, and director. Robert De Niro is one of the most accomplished actors of his generation, with a career spanning over five decades. He has received numerous awards and nominations for his work and has become known for his intense and realistic portrayals of complex characters.

Robert De Niro Early Life

Robert De Niro was raised in a predominantly Italian-American neighborhood in Greenwich Village, New York City. His father, Robert De Niro Sr., was a respected painter and sculptor who was of Irish and Italian descent, while his mother, Virginia Admiral, was an artist of Dutch, English, French, and German descent. De Niro’s parents divorced when he was just two years old, and he went on to live primarily with his mother. His father struggled with his career as an artist, and eventually came out as gay, which was a source of tension between him and his son.

Robert De Niro attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, a public school in New York City that was known for its strong arts programs. He began taking acting classes at age 16, and by the time he graduated in 1960, he had already appeared in several off-Broadway productions. He did not attend college, choosing instead to focus on his acting career.

Robert De Niro Career

Robert De Niro began his acting career in the 1960s, appearing in small roles in films such as “Greetings” (1968) and “The Wedding Party” (1969). He gained critical acclaim for his role in the film “Bang the Drum Slowly” (1973), in which he played a baseball player with a terminal illness. De Niro’s breakthrough role came in 1973 with the release of “Mean Streets,” directed by Martin Scorsese. In the film, De Niro played Johnny Boy, a small-time criminal in New York’s Little Italy.

Robert De Niro’s next major role was in “The Godfather: Part II” (1974), in which he played the young Vito Corleone. De Niro continued to work with Martin Scorsese throughout the 1980s, starring in films such as “Raging Bull” (1980), “The King of Comedy” (1983), and “Goodfellas” (1990). In the 1990s, De Niro began to take on more comedic roles, such as in the films “Meet the Parents” (2000) and “Analyze This” (1999). He also continued to work in dramatic roles, such as in the film “Cape Fear” (1991), for which he received his seventh Academy Award nomination.

Robert De Niro has also worked as a producer and director. He co-founded the Tribeca Film Festival in 2002, which has become one of the premier film festivals in the United States. He has also won two Golden Globe Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award, among other honors. In 2003, De Niro was honored with the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award.

Robert De Niro Personal Life

Robert De Niro has been married twice. His first marriage was to actress Diahnne Abbott, whom he met while filming the movie “Taxi Driver.” They were married in 1976 and had a son named Raphael, who is also an actor. De Niro also adopted Abbott’s daughter from a previous relationship, named Drena. De Niro and Abbott divorced in 1988. In 1997, De Niro start a relationship and married his second wife, Grace Hightower. They have two children together, a son named Elliot and a daughter named Helen Grace. De Niro and Hightower have had a tumultuous relationship and have separated and reconciled several times over the years.

Robert De Niro is also known for his relationships with various actresses, including his “The Godfather: Part II” co-star Diane Keaton and his “Heat” co-star Ashley Judd. He has also been involved in various environmental causes and is a supporter of the World Wildlife Fund.

Robert De Niro’s personal life has been as fascinating and complex as his on-screen performances. He has experienced both great success and personal struggles, and his relationships with various women have been a subject of much speculation and interest. Despite these challenges, he remains one of the most respected actors in Hollywood and a beloved icon of American cinema.