This American-Italian actor has a total net worth of $150 million. He was born in New York City, (USA) on August 17th, 1943. Son of two artists, Robert De Niro Sr., an abstract expressionist painter, sculptor and poet, and Virginia Admiral, also a painter. De Niro’s great-grandparents were Italians and emigrated at the beginning of the 20th century from Ferrazzano, in the province of Campobasso, Molise, to the United States. He himself says that he was very shy and withdrawn in his childhood and, because of his pallor, as a boy his companions nicknamed him “Bobby Milk.”
Beginnings.
He began to study acting at an early age, and as a teenager he began acting in the theater by becoming a professional at the age of 16.
He would increase his natural talent for acting by studying acting at the Actors Studio with Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg.
First films.
In 1965 he worked as an extra in the French film “Trois chambres à Manhattan”; But it was in 1968 when he made his real debut with Brian De Palma, in films such as “Greetings” (1968), his debut, and later “The Wedding Party” (1969) and “Hi Mom!” (1970).
The real work recognition has to wait until he was around 30, despite having started career in his youth. He reached that by performing in the Martin Scorsese’s film “Mean Streets” (1973), with whom they collaborate repeatedly, giving rise to a relationship that would later become friendship. The relationship between the director and the actor has been nourishing in movies such as “Taxi driver” (1976) next to Jodie Foster; “New York, New York” (1977) with Liza Minnelli; “Raging Bull” (1980), “The King of Comedy” (1983), “Goodfellas” (1990), “Cape Fear” (1991) and “Casino” (1995).
The Godfather saga.
He jumped at stardom for his performance in “The Godfather II” (1974), directed by Francis Ford Coppola, in the role of a young Vito Corleone, starring Al Pacino. His performance gives him his first Oscar as best supporting actor. Curiously De Niro and Marlon Brando are the only actors who have won an Oscar playing the same character, Brando had already won (though he refused) for playing the old Vito Corleone in “The Godfather”. Brando and De Niro did not work together until “The Score” (2001).
Preparation as actor.
De Niro is praised for his commitment to playing roles: he gained 27 kilos in weight and learned to box to play Jake Lamotta in “Raging Bull”, he lived in Sicily for his work in “The Godfather II,” he learned to play the saxophone for “New York, New York”, made hairstyles to play Al Capone in “Untouchable,” and worked as a taxi driver for four weeks for the film “Taxi driver”.
Personal life.
Robert De Niro has been married twice. From his first marriage to Diane Abbott, the couple had a daughter named Dreena, as well as a son named Raphael. From his relationship with model Toukie Smith, they have two twin sons, Julian Henry and Aaron Kendrick. Raphael, who started an acting career, is currently working in the real estate market in New York.
