Robert Anthony De Niro[7] was born in theManhattan borough ofNew York City on August 17, 1943,[8] the only child of paintersVirginia Admiral andRobert De Niro Sr.[9] His father was of Irish and Italian descent,[10] while his mother had Dutch, English, French, and German ancestry.[11] His parents, who had met at the painting classes ofHans Hofmann inProvincetown, Massachusetts, separated when he was two years old after his father announced that he was gay.[12] De Niro was raised by his mother in theGreenwich Village andLittle Italy neighborhoods of Manhattan. His father lived nearby, and remained close with De Niro during his childhood.[13] Nicknamed "Bobby Milk" because of his pale complexion, De Niro befriended many street kids in Little Italy, much to the disapproval of his father.[14] Some, however, have remained his lifelong friends.[15] His mother was raisedPresbyterian but became anatheist as an adult, while his father had been alapsed Catholic since the age of 12.[16][17] Against his parents' wishes, his grandparents had De Niro secretly baptized into theCatholic Church while he was staying with them during his parents' divorce.[17]
De Niro attendedPS 41, a public elementary school in Manhattan, through the sixth grade. He began acting classes at theDramatic Workshop and made his stage debut in school at age 10, playing theCowardly Lion inThe Wizard of Oz.[18][19] He later went toElisabeth Irwin High School, the upper school of theLittle Red School House, for the seventh and eighth grades.[20] He was then accepted into theHigh School of Music & Art for the ninth grade, but attended for only a short time before transferring to a public junior high school: IS 71, Charles Evans Hughes Junior High School.[21] De Niro attended high school atMcBurney School and later,Rhodes Preparatory School.[22][23] He found performing as a way to relieve his shyness, and became fascinated by cinema, so he dropped out of high school at 16 to pursue acting.[15] He later said, "When I was around 18, I was looking at a TV show and I said, 'If these actors are making a living at it, and they're not really that good, I can't do any worse than them.'"[24] He studied acting at HB Studio and Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio.[22][25] De Niro also studied withStella Adler, of the Stella Adler Conservatory, where he was exposed to the techniques of theStanislavski system.[26] As a young actor, De Niro was inspired by the work ofMarlon Brando,Montgomery Clift,James Dean,Greta Garbo,Geraldine Page, andKim Stanley.[27]
De Niro had minor film roles inEncounter,Three Rooms in Manhattan (both released in 1965) andLes Jeunes Loups (1968). Shortly afterwards, De Niro landed a major role inGreetings (1968), asatirical film about men avoiding theVietnam Wardraft. The film marked the first of a series of early collaborations between De Niro and directorBrian De Palma. A year later, De Niro appeared in the dramaSam's Song in which he portrays a New York City filmmaker. Also in 1969, he appeared in De Palma's comedyThe Wedding Party; although it was filmed in 1963, it was kept unreleased for six years. De Niro, who was still unknown at the time, gained a favorable review fromThe New York Times'Howard Thompson: "This farcical comedy, modestly produced by a trio of young people and utilizing some unfamiliar faces, is great fun."[28]
In 1972, De Niro starred in two performances atThe American Place Theatre, directed by Charles Maryan.[31] He then returned to the big screen withBang the Drum Slowly (1973), in which he played the lead role as Bruce Pearson, aMajor League Baseball player withHodgkin disease. His co-stars wereMichael Moriarty andVincent Gardenia. Adapted from the 1956novel of the same name byMark Harris, the film received critical acclaim and helped De Niro gain further recognition.The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "De Niro proves himself to be one of the best and most likable young character actors in movies with this performance."[32]Variety magazine's Alex Belth also took note of De Niro's "touching" portrayal,[33] while Gardenia was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.[34] Harris later wrote about De Niro, "He learned only as much baseball as he needed for his role [...] I doubt that he ever cared to touch a baseball again."[33]
In 1973, De Niro began collaborating with Martin Scorsese when he appeared in the crime filmMean Streets (1973), co-starringHarvey Keitel.[18] Although De Niro was offered a choice of roles, Scorsese wanted De Niro to play "Johnny Boy" Civello, a small time criminal working his way up into a localmob.[35] While De Niro and Keitel were given freedom to improvise certain scenes, assistant director Ron Satlof recalls De Niro was "extremely serious, extremely involved in his role and preparation", and became isolated from the rest of the cast and crew.[36]Mean Streets debuted at theCannes Film Festival, followed by theNew York Film Festival five months later, to a generally warm response.[37] Film criticRoger Ebert thought De Niro gave a "marvelous performance, filled with urgency and restless desperation."[38]Pauline Kael ofThe New York Times was equally impressed by De Niro, writing he is "a bravura actor, and those who have registered him only as the grinning, tobacco-chewing dolt of that hunk of inept whimseyBang the Drum Slowly will be unprepared for his volatile performance. De Niro does something like whatDustin Hoffman was doing inMidnight Cowboy, but wilder; this kid doesn't just act – he takes off into the vapors."[37] In 1997,Mean Streets was selected for preservation in the U.S.National Film Registry by theLibrary of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[39]
1974–1980: Scorsese collaboration and acclaim
De Niro had a pivotal role inFrancis Ford Coppola's crimeepicThe Godfather Part II (1974), playing the youngVito Corleone. De Niro had previously auditioned for the first installment,The Godfather (1972), but quit the project in favor of doingThe Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight. Coppola, having remembered him, gave De Niro a role inPart II instead.[40] To portray his character, De Niro spoke mainly in severalSicilian dialects,[18] although he delivered a few lines in English. The film was a commercial success and grossed $48 million at the worldwide box office.[41]The Godfather Part II received eleven nominations at the47th Academy Awards, winning six, including one for De Niro asBest Supporting Actor.[42] It was De Niro's first Academy win; Coppola accepted the award on his behalf as he did not attend the ceremony. De Niro andMarlon Brando, who played the older Vito Corleone in the first film, were the first pair of actors to win Academy Awards for portraying the same fictional character.[43]
After working with Scorsese inMean Streets, De Niro collaborated with him again for the psychological dramaTaxi Driver (1976). Set in gritty and morally bankrupt New York City following theVietnam War, the film tells the story ofTravis Bickle, a lonely taxi driver who descends into insanity. In preparation for the role, De Niro spent time with members of a U.S. army base to learn theirMidwestern accent and mannerisms.[44] He also lost 30 pounds (13 kg) in weight, took firearm training and studied the behavior of taxi drivers.[45] The film was critically acclaimed, in particular for De Niro's performance;The Washington Post critic hailed it as his "landmark performance",[46] and theSan Francisco Chronicle wrote "De Niro is dazzling in one of his signature roles."[47] The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, includingBest Actor for De Niro.[48][49] His "You talkin' to me?" quote, which he improvised,[50] was selected as the 10th most memorable quote in theAFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes by theAmerican Film Institute. In 2005, the film was chosen byTime magazine as one of the100 best films of all time.[51]
De Niro had two other film releases in 1976. He starred in1900, a historical drama directed byBernardo Bertolucci. Starring anensemble cast, the film is set in theEmilia region of Italy, and tells the story of two men, the landowner Alfredo Berlinghieri (De Niro) and thepeasant Olmo Dalcò (Gérard Depardieu), as they witness and participate in the political conflicts betweenfascism andcommunism in the first half of the twentieth century. Next, he played aCEO inThe Last Tycoon, based onF. Scott Fitzgerald'snovel of the same name, as adapted by BritishscreenwriterHarold Pinter. De Niro lost 42 pounds (19 kg) for the role, and directorElia Kazan observed that De Niro would rehearse on Sundays, adding "Bobby and I would go over the scenes to be shot. Bobby is more meticulous... he's very imaginative. He's very precise. He figures everything out both inside and outside. He has good emotion. He's acharacter actor: everything he does he calculates. In a good way, but he calculates."[52]: 766 The film received mixed reviews;Variety magazine's critic opined that the film was "unfocused" and called De Niro's performance "mildly intriguing".[53] Film criticMarie Brenner wrote, "it is a role that surpasses even his brilliant and daring portrayal of Vito Corleone inThe Godfather Part II... his performance deserves to be compared with the very finest."[54]
For De Niro's sole project of 1977, he starred in Scorsese's musical dramaNew York, New York oppositeLiza Minnelli. De Niro learned to play thesaxophone from musicianGeorgie Auld, to portray saxophonist Jimmy, who falls in love with a pop singer (Minnelli).[55] The film received generally mixed reception, although critics were kinder to De Niro.[56] The film was nominated for fourGolden Globe awards includingBest Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for De Niro.[57][58] In 1978, De Niro starred inMichael Cimino's epic war filmThe Deer Hunter, in which he played a steelworker whose life was changed after serving in theVietnam War. He co-starred withChristopher Walken,John Savage,John Cazale,Meryl Streep, andGeorge Dzundza. The story takes place inClairton, Pennsylvania, aworking-class town on theMonongahela River south ofPittsburgh, and in Vietnam. ProducerMichael Deeley pursued De Niro for the role, because the fame of his previous films would help make a "gruesome-sounding storyline and a barely known director" marketable.[59] De Niro, impressed by the script and director's preparation, was among the first to sign on to the film.[60] Reviews forThe Deer Hunter were generally positive, and the cast attracted strong praise for their performances.[60] The film received nominations at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes andBritish Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), and earned De Niro a nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards.[61][62][63] In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked it as the 53rd-greatest American film of all time in their10th Anniversary Edition of theAFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list.[64]
The fourth collaboration between De Niro and Scorsese was in 1980, with the biographical dramaRaging Bull. Adapted fromJake LaMotta's memoirRaging Bull: My Story, De Niro portrays LaMotta, the Italian-Americanmiddleweightboxer whose violent behavior and temper destroyed his relationship with his wife and family. Co-starringJoe Pesci andCathy Moriarty, De Niro later said it was one of the toughest roles to prepare for because he had to gain 60 pounds (27 kg), and had to learn to box.[18][65] "The book's not great literature, but it's got a lot of heart", De Niro told Scorsese at the time.[66] Although the film received critical acclaim, some reviewers were divided and criticized its "exceedingly violent" content; however, De Niro garnered praise for his realistic portrayal.[67] The critic fromThe Hollywood Reporter declared that "De Niro is incredible and makes the actor almost unrecognizable as himself; he looks amazingly like La Motta. De Niro's appearance is also astonishing in the final scenes."[68] Michael Thomson of theBBC observed "the power of Scorsese is matched by the intensity of De Niro who delves deep into the soul of the boxer."[69][70] At the53rd Academy Awards, the film received eight nominations, including Best Actor for De Niro for which he won.[71]Raging Bull has since been regarded as one of the greatest films of the 1980s by American critics.[69] De Niro was strongly considered for the role ofJack Torrance inStanley Kubrick'sThe Shining, but it ended up going toJack Nicholson, the director's first choice for the role.[72]
1981–1991: Dramas, comedies and awards success
De Niro returned to the crime genre withTrue Confessions (1981), adapted from the 1977novel of the same name byJohn Gregory Dunne. Less challenging than his previous film, De Niro played a priest who clashes with his brother (Robert Duvall), a detective investigating the murder of a prostitute.Vincent Canby ofThe New York Times thought the plot was hard to follow at times but praised the actors who "work so beautifully together it sometimes seems like a single performance."[73] To expand his range of acting roles and to prove his acting abilities, De Niro sought out films with a comedic tone throughout the 1980s.[74] He found it inThe King of Comedy (1982), in which he played the strugglingstand-up comedian Rupert Pupkin. De Niro was first to bring the script to the attention of Scorsese, who then gave it a New York setting and darker tone.[74] The film failed to find an audience, and was abox office disappointment, grossing only $2.5 million from a budget of $19 million.[75][76] However, most critics praised De Niro's performance.[77] His next film credit was inSergio Leone'sOnce Upon a Time in America (1984), in which he plays David "Noodles" Aaronson, a New York City Jewish gangster. The theatrical cut, with a runtime of 229 minutes, premiered at the1984 Cannes Film Festival and received a 15-minute standing ovation.[78] The film was shortened for theaters in the U.S. (139 minutes), but this proved to be highly unpopular with critics.[78] After seeing the full cut,Kenneth Turan of theLos Angeles Times described the film "excessive as well as tightly controlled" with the actors showing "impressive restraint and power".[79]
Falling in Love, a romantic comedy starring opposite Meryl Streep, was his last release of 1984. One year later, De Niro starred in ascience fiction for the first time,Brazil, about a daydreaming man living in adystopian society. Although the film was unsuccessful at the box office,Brazil was included inThe Criterion Collection.[80] In May 1986, De Niro returned to the stage atLongacre Theatre, playing the lead role in the productionCuba and His Teddy Bear.[81] For his next feature film, he co-starred inThe Mission (1986) withJeremy Irons, aperiod drama about the experiences of aJesuit missionary in eighteenth century South America. Vincent Canby reviewed the film negatively, and was critical of De Niro's casting: "De Niro, who was very fine as the street-wise priest inTrue Confessions, is all right here until he opens his mouth."[82] However, the film won an Academy Award forBest Cinematography, three BAFTAs, includingBest Editing, and two Golden Globes forBest Screenplay andBest Original Score.[83][84][85]
De Niro has reduced himself in scale here, too, and it's a relief to see him drop the great-actor mantle, and the theatricality. As a result, he hasn't seemed as fresh sinceMean Streets orNew York, New York. Walsh is more of a character role than the ones he played in those films; there's less specificity in the conception – he's more of a type – but the actor fits into him snugly, effortlessly, and the chance to play comedy, particularly opposite a comic foil as ideal as Grodin, appears to have revitalized him.[90]
He turned down an opportunity to playJesus Christ in Scorsese'sThe Last Temptation of Christ (1988), although he told the director that he would do it as a favor if needed. Scorsese castWillem Dafoe instead.[91] In 1989, De Niro starred in several films that were not widely seen. He starred alongsideEd Harris andKathy Baker in the dramaJacknife. The film revolves around the complex relationship between aVietnam veteran, his sister and fellow army buddy. Next, he starred in the crime comedyWe're No Angels (1989) withSean Penn andDemi Moore, a remake of the 1955film of the same name. The pair play escaped convicts who go on the run towards Canada. A year later, he starred in the romantic dramaStanley & Iris oppositeJane Fonda. Film critics did not receiveWe're No Angels orStanley & Iris positively; modern review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes gives them approval ratings of 47% and 33%, respectively.[92][93]
De Niro and Scorsese soon reunited for their sixth collaboration in 1990, with the crime filmGoodfellas. It is an adaptation of the 1985 non-fiction bookWiseguy byNicholas Pileggi. The film narrates the life of mob associateHenry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980. De Niro played James Conway, an Irish truckcarjacker and gangster.Goodfellas premiered at the47th Venice International Film Festival to an "enthusiastic" response from Italian critics, although it grossed a moderate $46 million upon its wider release.[94][95] Writing forRolling Stone magazine,Peter Travers, praised the cast performances, and called De Niro's character "a smooth killer acted with riveting restraint".[96]Chicago Tribune'sGene Siskel was equally impressed by their improvised performances and concluded "easily one of the year's best films."[97] In the awards season, the film was nominated for six Academy Awards, and De Niro was nominated forBest Actor at the BAFTAs.[98][99] In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked it as the 92nd-greatest American film of all time in their 10th Anniversary Edition of the AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list.[64] Also in 1990, De Niro appeared in the lead role forAwakenings, directed byPenny Marshall. The drama, based onOliver Sacks' 1973book of the same title, tells the story of Dr. Malcolm Sayer (Robin Williams), who discovers benefits of the drugL-Dopa in 1969 and administers it tocatatonic patients. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Actor for De Niro.[98] Sacks later remarked of the film: "I was pleased with a great deal of it. I think in an uncanny way, De Niro did somehow feel his way into beingParkinsonian. [...] At other levels I think things were sort of sentimentalized and simplified somewhat."[100]
De Niro's next film project was the dramaGuilty by Suspicion (1991) in which he plays David Merrill, a fictitious film director, returning to the U.S. during theMcCarthy era andHollywood blacklist. The film received generally favorable reviews.[101] He then had a minor role in themystery dramaBackdraft (1991), playing a veteran fire inspector. De Niro's biggest success of 1991 wasCape Fear, his seventh film with Scorsese and a remake of the 1962film of the same name. De Niro portrays convicted rapistMax Cady, who seeks revenge against a formerpublic defender who originally defended him. De Niro's performance was widely lauded.[102]David Ansen ofNewsweek remarked that De Niro "dominates the film with his lip-smacking, blackly comic and terrifying portrayal of psychopathic self-righteousness."[103] The film grossed a successful $182 million and earned De Niro a Best Actor nomination at the64th Academy Awards.[104][105]
1992–1997: Directorial debut and crime dramas
In 1992, De Niro appeared in two films. The first,Mistress, is a comedy-drama in which he played ruthless businessman Evan Wright. Of his performance, the critic fromThe Independent called De Niro "more urbane and coherent than we've seen him for a while."[106]Irwin Winkler'sNight and the City was his second release, a crime drama remake of the 1950film noirof the same name. He was cast as New York lawyer Harry Fabian.Owen Gleiberman ofEntertainment Weekly gave the film a rating of "B−" and was critical of De Niro: "The actor who once got so far inside his roles that he just about detonated the screen – now plays characters who don't seem to have any inner life at all."[107] Next, he served as a producer for the mystery thrillerThunderheart (1992).[108] In 1993, he played crime scene photographer Wayne Dobie in the comedy dramaMad Dog and Glory with co-starsUma Thurman andBill Murray. The feature received reasonable reviews and was lauded for the chemistry between De Niro and Murray;The Washington Post critic noted that their "real-life friendship spills over into this jittery, very funny look at the male bonding experience."[109] Next, De Niro starred in thecoming-of-age filmThis Boy's Life (1993), based on the memoir of the same name byTobias Wolff. It featuresEllen Barkin andLeonardo DiCaprio. Playing stepfather Dwight Hansen of Wolff (DiCaprio), the film was mostly well received, althoughTimeout magazine believed that "DiCaprio steals the show".[110]
De Niro starred in his directorial debut,A Bronx Tale (1993), a coming-of-age story about an Italian-American boy who is torn between the temptations of organized crime, racism in his community, and the values of his decent father. The film also starsChazz Palminteri, who wrote theplay of the same name, and is based on his childhood.A Bronx Tale premiered at theToronto International Film Festival to a positive response; Marjorie Baumgarten ofThe Austin Chronicle wrote "De Niro's choices as a director all seem prudent and un-showy, designed to draw attention to the characters and the story rather than its technical assemblage and much-lauded star."[111]Variety magazine'sTodd McCarthy took issue with the film's slow start but complimented De Niro's "impressive sensitivity to the irrational roots of racism and violence."[112] A year later, De Niro was cast in the lead role ofMary Shelley's Frankenstein, an adaptation ofMary Shelley's 1818 novelFrankenstein. Although the film was commercially successful, earning $112 million worldwide, the general consensus of reviews were largely negative.[113][114] Film criticJames Berardinelli opined that it was entertaining and De Niro gave a strong performance, despite the film's "frantic" pace.[115]
Casino (1995) marked De Niro's return to the crime genre with Scorsese in their eighth collaboration. Co-starringSharon Stone and Joe Pesci, the film is based on the bookCasino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas byNicholas Pileggi. De Niro portrays Sam "Ace" Rothstein, a mob-connected casino operator in Las Vegas. The film's themes revolve around greed, betrayal, wealth, status, and murder that occur between two mobsters, Sam "Ace" Rothstein (De Niro) and Nicky Santoro (Pesci), and atrophy wife (Stone) over a gambling empire.Casino was released to mostly positive critical reception, and was a success at the worldwide box office.[116] Roger Ebert was impressed with the lead performers' abilities to "inhabit their roles with unconscious assurance",[117] andThe Globe and Mail's critic thought "De Niro does an extraordinarily subtle job of capturing theparadox [...] that lie at the heart of this picture."[118] Shortly afterwards, he starred in 1995's crime thrillerHeat, about a group of professional bank robbers.Art Linson, who had previously produced films starring De Niro, sent him the script first. "It was very good, very strong, had a particular feel to it, a reality and authenticity", De Niro said.[119] Co-starringAl Pacino,Val Kilmer,Tom Sizemore, andJon Voight among others, the film was released to wide acclaim; Michael Wilmington of theChicago Tribune wrote:
De Niro and Pacino redeem everything. InHeat, they represent a high postwar tradition for movie actors – the ones inspired byMarlon Brando,John Cassavetes andJames Dean – who aren't afraid of emotion, who run right into the jaws of a scene to grab it. Like others from their generation –Jack Nicholson,Gene Hackman,Harvey Keitel – they have a keener slant on machismo. They easily explore its darker strata.[120]
Heat marked the first time that Pacino and De Niro appeared on-screen together; they were both inThe Godfather Part II but were never in any scenes together because the film takes place in two separate timelines. De Niro as Vito Corleone was in the past and Pacino as his son Michael was in the present.
In 1995, De Niro had minor roles in the French comedyOne Hundred and One Nights and in the dramaPanther. In 1996, De Niro starred in the sports thrillerThe Fan, based on thenovel of the same name byPeter Abrahams. De Niro plays Gil Renard, a baseball fanatic who loses his sanity.[121] His fiftieth film credit was in the crime dramaSleepers (1996), about four boys who become involved with crime, and are sentenced to a detention center where they are abused by guards, and seek vengeance upon release. De Niro plays priest Bobby Carillo, a father figure to the four boys.[122] Afterwards, he appeared inMarvin's Room (1996) as Dr. Wallace Carter, who treats a woman (Diane Keaton) withleukemia. Writing for the BritishEmpire magazine, Bob McCabe opined that "Performances are all eminently watchable [...] but the truncated feel robs the film of anything more than perfunctory pleasures."[123] Also in 1996, De Niro co-produced the crime-comedyFaithful.[124]In 1996 a video game produced by De Niro called9: The Last Resort was released. A surreal point and click puzzle game about a hotel filled with strange characters. De Niro met the game's director Buzz Hayes when Hayes worked atLucasfilm.[125] The game did not do well at launch and Hayes is quoted as saying "I wouldn’t call it a failure. it was just kind of a quiet landing."[126]
The following year, he appeared inJames Mangold'sCop Land (1997), a crime-drama co-starringSylvester Stallone,Harvey Keitel andRay Liotta. De Niro playsInternal Affairs investigator Lt. Moe Tilden, who explores police corruption in a New Jersey town. The film opened to a generally warm response, although Barbara Shulgasser ofSan Francisco Examiner criticized De Niro's acting in certain scenes, suggesting Mangold put De Niro in a "manufactured situation", preventing him from realizing his full potential.[127] De Niro co-starred and co-producedWag the Dog (1997). The film is apolitical satire about a biased publicist (De Niro) and a Hollywood producer (Dustin Hoffman) who fabricate a war in Albania to cover up a U.S. president's sex scandal. In January 1998, a month after its release, theClinton–Lewinsky scandal dominated the headlines, which helped the film generate publicity.[128] As a result,Wag the Dog was well-received and made the list of Roger Ebert's ten best films of 1997.[129] De Niro also had a supporting role inQuentin Tarantino'sJackie Brown in that same year.[130]
1998–2006: Comic roles, thrillers, and slump
De Niro in 1998
De Niro began 1998 with an appearance inGreat Expectations, a modern adaptation ofCharles Dickens' 1861novel of the same name, in which he played Arthur Lustig. Later that year, his next major role came inRonin (1998), about a team of formerspecial operatives that are hired to steal a mysterious briefcase while navigating a maze of shifting loyalties. De Niro plays Sam, an Americanmercenary formerly associated with theCIA.Ronin premiered at the1998 Venice Film Festival to favorable response;Janet Maslin ofThe New York Times praised De Niro's confident portrayal as an action hero.[131] In 1999, De Niro ventured back into crime-comedy; he was cast as an insecure mob boss oppositeBilly Crystal andLisa Kudrow inHarold Ramis'Analyze This. The film was a box office hit, earning $176 million worldwide, and De Niro was nominated for Best Actor at the Golden Globes.[132][133] InFlawless (1999), De Niro appeared as a homophobic police officer, who suffers a stroke, and is assigned to a rehabilitative program with a gay singer. The critic from the BBC gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, and thought De Niro gave a "refreshingly low-key" performance, in comparison to his previous work.[134]
In 2000, De Niro produced and starred in his firstlive-action animation comedy,The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. He voiced the characterFearless Leader, who is a dictator and employer of two mobsters. The film was critically panned, with Rotten Tomatoes giving the film a 43% approval rating.[135] De Niro playedMaster Chief 'Billy' Sunday in the biographical dramaMen of Honor (2000), based on the life ofCarl Brashear, the first African-American to become aU.S. Navy Master Diver. Although the film garnered mixed reviews,Bob Thomas of theAssociated Press wrote "De Niro infuses the role with all his dynamism. It is his best performance in years."[136] That same year, he starred in the comedyMeet the Parents oppositeBen Stiller as Jack Byrnes, a former CIA operative who takes a dislike to Stiller's character. De Niro, who had been seeking comic roles at the time, was encouraged by his producing partner Jane Rosenthal, to take on the role.[137] The film was a high earner at the box office, with $330 million in receipts.[138] Film critics welcomed De Niro's transition as a comic actor and ability to make audiences laugh.[139][140]
After several comedies, De Niro landed a lead role in the crime thriller15 Minutes (2001), a story about ahomicide detective (De Niro) and afire marshal (Edward Burns) who join forces to apprehend a pair of Eastern European murderers. The film's reception was generally unfavorable; William Arnold of theSeattle Post-Intelligencer took issue with the "in-your-face exaggeration", but he thought De Niro delivered "his usual edgy flair, [...] on the mean streets of his native Manhattan."[141] De Niro followed up with aheist, inFrank Oz'sThe Score (2001), starringEdward Norton,Angela Bassett andMarlon Brando. He plays a retiring thief when a young man (Norton) persuades him into doing one last heist together. Upon release,The Score fared well with critics, although Peter Rainer ofNew York magazine did not think the film challenged De Niro or fully utilize his talents.[142] The next year, he played anLAPD detective oppositeEddie Murphy in the action-comedyShowtime. The reviewer fromLA Weekly remarked "De Niro isn't actually playing a part but riffing on his own legend", and thought the references toTaxi Driver were "cheap".[143]
Also in 2002, he collaborated withMichael Caton-Jones inCity by the Sea, who had previously directed De Niro inThis Boy's Life. Starring oppositeFrances McDormand andJames Franco, he portrayed another police detective in the drama. The film received mixed reviews and under-performed at the theaters.[144] He appeared inAnalyze That (2002), a sequel to 1999'sAnalyze This. Filming began in New York City, seven months after theSeptember 11 attacks. De Niro insisted on filming there, stating "It's a New York story, a New York movie. We always intended to keep it there and I'm glad we were able to do it."[145] Upon release, most critics thought the sequel was weak;CNN'sPaul Clinton remarked "Unfortunately the result is just a bunch of one-liners strung together, of which some work and some don't. The actual story never gets off the ground."[146] Despite these failures, De Niro served as a producer for the critically acclaimed romantic-comedyAbout a Boy (2002), and appeared in9/11 (2002), aCBS documentary about the September 11 attacks, told from the New York City fire department's point of view.[147]
Several critics consider De Niro's career as having begun to slump in the early 2000s, with De Niro starring in roles that were less dramatic than those in the previous decade.[148][149] He returned to the screen in 2004, playing a doctor in thefantasy dramaGodsend. As of 2020, the film is De Niro's poorest-performing work; Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an approval rating of 4% based on 139 critic reviews.[150] He voiced a character inDreamWorks' animation ofShark Tale (2004). Most critics were also unimpressed, but it was a high earner at the box office.[151] After co-producingStage Beauty (2004), De Niro reprised his role of Jack Byrnes in 2004'sMeet the Fockers, the sequel toMeet the Parents. In a scathing review of De Niro, the critic fromSlant Magazine wrote "In self-parody mode for the umpteenth time, De Niro mugs for the camera with a series of overblown grimaces and faux-menacing glares."[152]The Bridge of San Luis Rey, was De Niro's last release of 2004, based onThornton Wilder'snovel of the same name. It was also critically panned.[153]
In 2005, De Niro starred in the horrorHide and Seek oppositeDakota Fanning, playing Dr. David Callaway who leaves the city with his traumatized daughter after the mother's suicide. Although the film was a financial success, some critics thought De Niro had been miscast, and queried his decision to star in a mediocre feature.[154][155] In 2006, De Niro turned down a role inThe Departed to direct his second film,[156] thespy thrillerThe Good Shepherd, a fictional account about the growth of the CIA during its formative years. The film reunited him onscreen with Joe Pesci, co-star fromRaging Bull,Goodfellas,A Bronx Tale,Casino, among others. Based on the screenplay byEric Roth, the project was personal for De Niro, who was raised during theCold War and fascinated by it.[157] Despite starring some of Hollywood's leading actors;Matt Damon,Angelina Jolie andAlec Baldwin, the film garnered a mixed reception. Writing forThe Sydney Morning Herald,Sandra Hall noted its slow pace, stating "There's a potentially fascinating slice ofAmerican history here, but De Niro has carved it up with an excruciatingly dull knife."[158] The critic fromUSA Today found the plot initially hard to follow, but praises De Niro for "creating a stirring personal tale".[159]The Good Shepherd was nominated forBest Art Direction at the79th Academy Awards.[160] Finally in 2006, he voiced the character Emperor Sifrat XVI inArthur and the Invisibles.[161]
2007–2016: Further film roles
His sole project in 2007 wasMatthew Vaughn'sStardust, a fantasy adventure, based onNeil Gaiman's 1999novel of the same name. He plays Captain Shakespeare, the leader of a ship. The film was generally well received, although one critic fromNew York magazine thought De Niro's performance was "god-awful – yet hisgung-ho spirit wins him Brownie points."[162] The following year, he starred in thepolice procedural thrillerRighteous Kill opposite Al Pacino, both playing New York City detectives who investigate serial executions of criminals who escaped justice. The film's response was mainly disappointing; Peter Hartlaub ofSan Francisco Chronicle thought the story was unoriginal and De Niro lacked energy.[163] The film grossed $78 million from a budget of $60 million.[164] Next, he starred inWhat Just Happened (2008), a satirical comedy based on Art Linson's experiences as a producer in Hollywood. The film was screened at the2008 Cannes Film Festival as an out-of-competition entry.[165]The Sydney Morning Herald opined that most reviewers gave the film a lukewarm reception because of the character he plays, which is "sympathetic" and quieter than his earlier roles.[166] In 2009, he was cast as Frank Goode in the dramaEverybody's Fine, a remake ofGiuseppe Tornatore's Italian filmof the same name. Although the film's response was equally mixed,The Guardian's critic praised De Niro for a "his first decent, watchable performance in quite a while."[167]
In 2010, he had a minor part as Senator John McLaughlin in the action filmMachete. That same year, he starred inStone oppositeMilla Jovovich and Edward Norton, co-star fromThe Score. It is a crime drama where De Niro plays a manipulatedparole officer. The film was met with a divided reception;Toronto Star's critic thought De Niro delivered a respectable performance due to Jovovich's support.[168] Another critic, Jesse Cataldo fromSlant Magazine noted the film's restraint and thought De Niro is repeating himself by playing the same basic characters.[169] Next he starred inLittle Fockers (2010), the second sequel toMeet the Parents andMeet the Fockers. Despite universally negative reviews from critics, the film was a box office success, grossing over $310 million worldwide.[170] In one review,The Daily Telegraph wrote "Despite the farcical script, De Niro in particular has hispaterfamilias character sensitively tuned".[171] That year, De Niro was cast inEdge of Darkness, but he left the project citing creative differences. He was replaced byRay Winstone.[172][173]
In 2011, De Niro starred in the Italian comedyManuale d'amore 3.[174] He also appeared in three other films:Killer Elite,Limitless, andNew Year's Eve. Except forLimitless, which received an approval rating of 69% from Rotten Tomatoes, the other two films were met with mixed-to-negative reviews.[175] De Niro was also appointed president of the jury for the2011 Cannes Film Festival, making it the second time he has served.[176] Continuing into 2012, he starred in the dramaBeing Flynn, based onAnother Bullshit Night in Suck City, a memoir byNick Flynn. It was met with a mixed response; criticA. O. Scott complimented De Niro's ability for playing an estranged father (oppositePaul Dano), calling him "unpredictable and subtle", despite an uncertain plot.[177] De Niro also appeared in the thrillersRed Lights andFreelancers (both 2012).[178][179]
De Niro made his first appearance in aDavid O. Russell film, in the romantic comedySilver Linings Playbook (2012), as the father of Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper), who is released from a psychiatric hospital and moves back in with his parents to rebuild his life. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning eightAcademy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for De Niro.[180] The film grossed $236 million worldwide.[181] Critics lauded the entire cast;Variety magazine'sJustin Chang noted De Niro's calm performance, writing "it's hard to remember the last time De Niro was this effortlessly endearing and relaxed onscreen."[182] In 2013, he played a one-scene uncredited[183] cameo role in Russell's ten-time Oscar-nominatedAmerican Hustle[184] as mob boss Victor Tellegio.[185] In 2012, De Niro served as an executive producer for the television seriesNYC 22.[186]
Next, he was cast in 2013'sThe Big Wedding,Killing Season, andThe Family; all three were met with mainly a negative response. His other 2013 release,Last Vegas, received some respectable reviews. Co-starringMichael Douglas,Morgan Freeman,Kevin Kline andMary Steenburgen, the film is about three retirees who travel toLas Vegas to have abachelor party for their last remaining single friend. In a harsh assessment of De Niro's performance, theA.V. Club's critic considered it "arguably the low point of De Niro's career."[187] Shortly afterwards, he starred inGrudge Match (2013) oppositeSylvester Stallone, as aging boxers stepping into thering for one last match. They had previously worked together in 1997'sCop Land.[188] That same year he starred in the crime thriller,The Bag Man. In 2014, De Niro appeared in a documentary about his father, Robert De Niro Sr., titledRemembering the Artist Robert De Niro Sr. which aired onHBO.[189] In 2015, he starred inNancy Meyers' comedyThe Intern alongsideAnne Hathaway. The latter fared better with critics; Mark Olsen of theLos Angeles Times cordially remarked "De Niro brings a fresh, relaxed lightness to his performance, tinged with the gruff charm ofSpencer Tracy."[190] His performance won him a nomination from theCritics Choice Movie Awards forBest Actor in a Comedy.[191]
Also in 2015, he appeared in two short films, Scorsese'sThe Audition andJR'sEllis. Returning to the heist genre, he starred inHeist, playing Francis "The Pope" Silva, a gangster casino owner who is targeted by criminals. The film was not a box office success.[192] He starred in the biographical dramaJoy (2015), oppositeJennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, about an American inventorJoy Mangano; it gained generally mixed reviews. In 2016, he co-starred inDirty Grandpa, playing a grandfather who goes toFlorida duringspring break with his grandson (Zac Efron). Upon release, the film received a polarized reception for its reputedly distasteful content, and appeared in several critics' lists ofworst films of 2016.[193][194] He also appeared inHands of Stone (2016), a biographical sports drama about the career of Panamanian formerprofessional boxerRoberto Durán. His last release of the year wasThe Comedian, which premiered at theAFI Fest, a film festival celebrating filmmakers' achievements.[195]
In 2019, De Niro returned to the screen by playing talk show host Murray Franklin inTodd Phillips'Joker, a possibleorigin story for theBatman characterThe Joker (Joaquin Phoenix).[200] The film was a commercial success, and earned eleven nominations at the Academy Awards.[201] Also that year, De Niro reunited with Scorsese forThe Irishman, based on the 2004 bookI Heard You Paint Houses byCharles Brandt.[202] It is their ninth feature film together and the first since 1995'sCasino, and co-stars Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel, and Joe Pesci. The film received critical acclaim; Robbie Collin ofThe Daily Telegraph, praised De Niro's "sensational" performance and the chemistry between his co-stars, whom he has worked with in earlier films.[203]Variety magazine's critic also noted the chemistry, calling him "superb", despite perceived weaknesses in the film'sspecial effects.[204]
In 2023, De Niro also appeared in the comedyAbout My Father,[217] and in the television seriesNada.[218] On March 1, 2023, it was announced that De Niro will produce and star in the six-episode limited seriesZero Day for Netflix, a conspiracy thriller created byEric Newman andNoah Oppenheim, who will also executive produce along withJonathan Glickman.[219] The series premiered in 2025.[220] Another film he starred in,Ezra, made its premiere atToronto International Film Festival 2023 and was acquired byBleecker Street for theatrical release in 2024. De Niro said he took interest in the film as it features the complexities of parenting an autistic child; De Niro has an autistic son himself.[221]
Several journalists consider De Niro to be among the best actors of his generation.[2][3][223][4] John Naughton ofGQ magazine believes that De Niro has "redefined what we can expect of an actor."[5]A. O. Scott said that De Niro "was transforming himself – physically, vocally, psychologically – with each new role. And in the process, before our eyes, reinventing the art of acting."[224] As early as 1977,Newsweek remarked that the actor "gives you the shock of becoming, of a metamorphosis that can be thrilling, moving, or frightening."[225] Biographer Douglas Brode praises De Niro's versatility and ability to inhabit any role, althoughPauline Kael once said in 1983 that she did not like how the actor was "disfiguring" himself in films such asRaging Bull.[226] When asked why he undertook such roles, De Niro responded, "To totally submerge into another character and experience life through him, without having to risk the real-life consequences—well it's a cheap way to do doing things that you would never dare to do yourself."[225]
In 2009, he was announced as one of theKennedy Center Honorees with the commemoration: "One of America's greatest cinematic actors, Robert De Niro has demonstrated a legendary commitment to his characters and has co-founded one of the world's major film festivals."[227]Martin Scorsese andMeryl Streep honored him at the event. In 2016, he received thePresidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.[228] Obama said "Everybody on this stage has touched me in a very powerful, very personal way [...] These are folks who have helped make me who I am."[229]White House Press SecretaryJosh Earnest added, "There is no arguing that the individuals who will be honored today are richly deserving", he said.[229]
Many of De Niro's films have become classics of American cinema, in which six of them have been inducted into theU.S. National Film Registry as of 2022.[6] Five films are featured on the American Film Institute's (AFI) list of the100 greatest American films of all time. De Niro andJames Stewart share the title for the most films represented on the AFI list.[230][231] In 2006, De Niro donated his collection of film-related materials, such as scripts, wardrobe pieces andprops, to theHarry Ransom Center at theUniversity of Texas at Austin.[232] The collection, which took more than two years to process and catalog, opened to the public in 2009.[233]Time Out magazine's list of 100 best movies included seven of De Niro's films, as chosen by actors in the industry.[234] In 2025, De Niro is set to receive theCannes Film Festival'sHonorary Palme d'Or.[235]
In 1989, De Niro and partner Jane Rosenthal co-founded the film production company TriBeCa Productions, which also organizes the Tribeca Film Festival. De Niro ownsTribeca Grill (co-owned with Broadway producerStewart F. Lane), aNew American restaurant located at 375 Greenwich Street (at Franklin Street) in Tribeca, Manhattan.[237] It opened in 1990.[238] He is also the owner of the Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca.[239] De Niro co-ownsNobu restaurants and hotels with partners Meir Teper and ChefNobu Matsuhisa. The first Nobu Hotel opened insideCaesars Palace, Las Vegas, in 2013. Two years later, the second Nobu Hotel opened atCity of Dreams in Manila, Philippines. In 2015, De Niro partnered withJames Packer after the billionaire acquired a 20 percent stake in Nobu for $100 million.[240] He is a stakeholder in Paradise Found Nobu Resort, a company planning to build a luxury resort on the island ofBarbuda.[241][242][243]In 2025, De Niro appeared alongside Al Pacino in Moncler's "Warmer Together" fashion campaign.[244]
Personal life
De Niro is a long-term resident of New York City, and has been investing in Manhattan'sTribeca neighborhood since 1989. He has properties on theeast andwest sides of Manhattan. He also has a 78-acre (32-hectare) estate inGardiner, New York, which serves as his primary residence.[245]
In 2006, De Niro received Italian citizenship, despite opposition by theSons of Italy, who believe that De Niro damaged the public image of Italians by portraying criminals.[248][249]
In 2016, De Niro initially defended the inclusion of a controversial documentary,Vaxxed, at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival; the film was directed and co-written by discreditedanti-vaccine activistAndrew Wakefield and echoed Wakefield's fraudulent claim that there was a causal link between theMMR vaccine and autism.[254][255][256] De Niro explained that his interest in the film was from his personal experience with hisautistic son, Elliot.[255] The film was withdrawn from the schedule after consultation with the festival organizers and scientific community.[255][257] During a subsequent appearance onNBC'sToday, De Niro expressed regret that he agreed to excludeVaxxed from the festival and stated, "I think the movie is something that people should see." Also during the appearance, De Niro promoted the 2014 anti-vaccination filmTrace Amounts and stated that he doubted the scientific consensus that there was no link betweenautism and vaccines.[258][259] In February 2017, De Niro took part in a joint presentation withRobert F. Kennedy Jr., chairman of the anti-vaccine non-profitChildren's Health Defense, to discuss their concerns with vaccine safety. De Niro has stated that he is not anti-vaccination, but does question their efficacy.[260]
De Niro married actressDiahnne Abbott in 1976. They have a son,Raphael, a former actor who works in New York real estate.[270] De Niro also adopted Abbott's daughterDrena from a previous relationship. He and Abbott divorced in 1988. Afterwards, he was in a relationship with modelToukie Smith between 1988 and 1996. The couple has twins, son Julian and daughter Airyn, conceived byin vitro fertilization and delivered by asurrogate mother in 1995.[271][272] Airyncame out as atrans woman in April 2025,[273] and Robert stated that he supported her identity.[274]
In 1997, De Niro married actressGrace Hightower.[275] Their son, Elliot, was born in 1998 and the couple split in 1999. The divorce was never finalized and in 2004 they renewed their vows.[275] In December 2011, their daughter Helen was born via surrogate.[276] In 2014, he and Hightower moved into a 6,000-square-foot, five-bedroom apartment at15 Central Park West.[277][278] Four years later, De Niro and Hightower separated after 20 years of marriage.[279] De Niro has four grandchildren: one from his daughter Drena and three from his son Raphael.[280][281] On April 19, 2021, De Niro's lawyer argued in a virtual divorce hearing presided by a Manhattan judge that he is "working at an unsustainable pace" in order "to support Hightower and pay off all his back taxes." Hightower's lawyer claimed that since the pair filed for divorce in 2018, De Niro had been "unfairly decreasing" the agreed-upon payments to her.[282]
In July 2023, it was announced that De Niro's grandson through his daughter Drena, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, had died at age 19.[289] The cause of death was determined as acombined drug intoxication involvingfentanyl andcocaine.[290]
Legal issues
In February 1998, De Niro was held for questioning by French police in connection with an international prostitution ring.[291] De Niro denied any involvement,[292] and later filed a complaint against theexamining magistrate for "violation of secrecy in an investigation".[293][294] He stated he would not return to France, but has since traveled there several times including for the2011 Cannes Film Festival.[295]
In 1999, De Niro threatened to sue the owners of "De Niro's Supper Club" inVancouver, under section 3 of theBC Privacy Act.[296] The restaurant subsequently changed its name to "Section (3)".[297]
In 2006, thetrust that owns De Niro's Gardiner estate sued the town to have itsproperty taxassessment reduced, arguing that $6 million was too high and should be compared only with similar properties inUlster County, where Gardiner is located. The town, which had been comparing its value to similar estates inDutchess County, across theHudson River, andConnecticut'sLitchfield County, where many other affluent New York residents maintain estates on large properties, won inState Supreme Court.[298] In 2014, the trust's lawyers appealed the decision and the town was unsure if it should continue to defend the suit because of financial limitations (it would have earned far less in payments on the increased taxes than it had spent on legal costs). This angered many residents, who initially sympathized with De Niro, and some proposed to raise money privately to help the town continue the suit.[245] The dispute was publicized byThe New York Times. "When he (De Niro) read about it onElection Day, he went bananas", due to the negative publicity, said Gardiner town councilman Warren Wiegand.[299] He was unaware that a lawsuit was filed; the trust's accountants took responsibility citingfiduciary duty.[299] Shortly afterwards, De Niro's lawyer, Tom Harvey, contacted the town to settle the case, and the trust's accounting firm agreed to pay the town's $129,000 legal bill.[300]
In August 2019, De Niro's company Canal Productions filed a $6-million lawsuit against former employee Graham Chase Robinson, for breaching her fiduciary duties and violating New York'sfaithless servant doctrine by misusing company funds and watching hours ofNetflix during work hours.[301][302] In October 2019, Robinson filed a lawsuit against De Niro, claiming harassment andgender discrimination.[303] In November 2023 the jury found De Niro not personally liable for gender discrimination but his production company was ordered to pay her $1.2 million in damages.[304]
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