Robert De Niro, Jr. (born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film role was in 1973’s Bang the Drum Slowly. Robert De Niro was born in New York City, the son of Virginia Admiral, and Robert De Niro, Sr., an abstract expressionist painter and sculptor. De Niro’s father was of Italian and Irish descent, and his mother was of English, German, French, and Dutch ancestry.
Nicknamed “Bobby Milk” for his pallor, the youthful De Niro hung out with a group of street kids in Little Italy, some of whom have remained lifelong friends of his. De Niro’s first film role in collaboration with Brian De Palma was in 1963 at the age of 20, when he appeared opposite his friend Jill Clayburgh in The Wedding Party; however, the film was not released until 1969. He then played in Roger Corman’s 1970 “Bloody Mama.” It starred Shelly Winters as Ma Barker. He gained popular attention with his role as a dying Major League Baseball player in Bang the Drum Slowly (1973).
In 2003, it was announced that De Niro had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, although he went on to make a full recovery
De Niro and his first wife Diahnne Abbott have a son, Raphael, a former actor who works in New York real estate.De Niro also adopted Abbott’s daughter from a previous relationship. Robert De Niro has twin sons, Julian Henry and Aaron Kendrik, conceived by in vitro fertilization and delivered by a surrogate mother in 1995, from a long-term live-in relationship with former model Toukie Smith.
In 1997, Robert De Niro married his second wife, Grace Hightower, at their Marbletown home. 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. Hightower appeared in a 1994 episode of NYPD Blue and had her film debut in 2009’s Precious.
On February 4, 2008, Robert De Niro supported Obama at a rally at the Izod Center in New Jersey before Super Tuesday. Robert Denire was voted №2 greatest movie star of all time in a Channel 4 (UK) poll.
De Niro takes pride in the development of his production company, Tribeca Productions, the Tribeca Film Center, which he founded with Jane Rosenthal in 1988, and in the Tribeca Film Festival, which he founded with Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 as a response to the attacks on the World Trade Center. The festival was conceived to foster the economic and cultural revitalization of Lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music, and culture; the festival’s mission is to promote New York City as a major filmmaking center and help filmmakers reach the broadest possible audiences.
Through Tribeca Productions, De Niro develops projects on which he serves in a combination of capacities, including producer, director and actor.
Robert De Niro Filmography
2024 Ezra
2023 About My Father
2023 Killers of the Flower Moon
2022 Savage Salvation
2022 Amsterdam
2020 The Comeback Trail
2020 The War with Grandpa
2019 The Irishman
2019 Joker
2017 The Wizard of Lies
2016 The Comedian
2016 Hands of Stone
2016 Dirty Granpa
2015 Joy
2015 The Intern
2014 The Bag man
2013 American Hustle
2013 Grudge Match
2013 Last Vegas
2013 The Family
2013 Motel
2013 Killing Season
2013 The Silver Linings Playbook
2013 The Big Wedding
2012 Red Lights
2012 Freelancers
2012 Another Bullshit Night in Suck City
2011 New Year’s Eve
2011 Killer Elite
2011 Limitless
2011 Manuale d’am3re
2010 Little Fockers
2010 Stone
2010 Machete
2009 Everybody’s Fine
2009 Micmacs
2008 Righteous Kill
2008 What Just Happened
2007 Stardust
2006 The Good Shepherd
2006 Arthur et les Minimoys (voice)
2005 Hide and Seek
2004 The Bridge of San Luis Rey
2004 Meet the Fockers
2004 Shark Tale (voice)
2004 Godsend
2002 Analyze That
2002 City by the Sea
2002 Showtime
2001 The Score
2001 15 Minutes
2000 Meet the Parents
2000 Men of Honor
2000 The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle
1999 Flawless
1999 Analyze This
1998 Ronin
1998 Great Expectations
1997 Jackie Brown
1997 Wag the Dog
1997 Cop Land
1996 Marvin’s Room
1996 Sleepers
1996 The Fan
1995 Heat
1995 Casino
1995 Les cent et une nuits de Simon Cinéma
1994 Frankenstein
1993 A Bronx Tale
1993 This Boy’s Life
1993 Mad Dog and Glory
1992 Night and the City
1992 Mistress
1991 Cape Fear
1991 Backdraft
1991 Guilty by Suspicion
1990 Awakenings
1990 Goodfellas
1989 Stanley & Iris
1989 We’re No Angels
1989 Jacknife
1988 Midnight Run
1987 The Untouchables
1987 Angel Heart
1986 The Mission
1985 Brazil
1984 Falling in Love
1984 Once Upon a Time in America
1982 The King of Comedy
1981 True Confessions
1980 Raging Bull
1978 The Deer Hunter
1976 The Last Tycoon
1976 1900
1976 Taxi Driver
1974 The Godfather: Part II
1973 Mean Streets
1973 Bang the Drum Slowly
1971 The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight
1971 Born to Win
1971 Jennifer on My Mind
1970 Hi, Mom!
1970 Bloody Mama
1969 The Wedding Party
1969 Sam’s Song
1968 Greetings
1965 Three Rooms in Manhattan (uncredited)
