Actor Robert biography, net worth, crossword, culp, wife, divorce, married

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<a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">Robert De Niro</a> was born on August 17, 1943, in Manhattan, New York City, United States. He is the <a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">son</a> of artists <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_De_Niro_Sr.">Robert De Niro Sr.</a>, a painter and sculptor, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Admiral">Virginia Admiral</a>, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Admiral">poet</a> and painter. Born as <a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">Robert Anthony De Niro</a>, he experienced his parents’ separation at the age of three when his father came out as gay. During this transition, <a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">De Niro</a> briefly lived with his grandparents, who had him secretly baptized as a Catholic, despite neither parent being religious.

<h2>Education and Early Acting Training</h2>

<a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">De Niro</a> attended several schools in New York City, including PS 41, Little Red School House, Elisabeth Irwin High School, and the High School of Music & Art. He later enrolled at McBurney School and Rhodes Preparatory School. At the age of 16, he dropped out of formal education to pursue acting. He trained at the Stella Adler Conservatory and later at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Strasberg">Lee Strasberg</a>’s Actors Studio, both of which are known for their rigorous focus on method acting.

<h2>Breakthrough Roles and Collaboration with <a href="/biography/martin-scorsese">Martin Scorsese</a></h2>

<a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">De Niro</a> made his film debut in 1965 with The Wedding Party, released in 1969. His breakthrough came with roles in Bloody Mama (1970), Bang the Drum Slowly (1973), and Mean Streets (1973), which marked the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration with <a href="/biography/martin-scorsese">director</a> <a href="/biography/martin-scorsese">Martin Scorsese</a>.

He portrayed a young <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vito_Corleone">Vito Corleone</a> in The Godfather Part II (1974), directed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Ford_Coppola">Francis Ford Coppola</a>, a performance that earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. This role made him, alongside <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlon_Brando">Marlon Brando</a>, one of only two actors to win an Oscar for portraying the same character.

<a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">De Niro</a> won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his intense portrayal of boxer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_LaMotta">Jake LaMotta</a> in <a href="/biography/martin-scorsese">Scorsese</a>’s Raging Bull (1980). His commitment to authenticity became a hallmark; for this role, he underwent extensive boxing training and gained significant weight to portray <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_LaMotta">LaMotta</a> later in life.

<h2>Expanding Filmography and Industry Recognition</h2>

In 1976, he starred in The Last Tycoon, a lesser-known film that nonetheless drew praise for <a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">De Niro</a>’s performance. He continued to demonstrate versatility with roles in The Deer Hunter (1978), Brazil (1985), Midnight Run (1988), Analyze This (1999), Meet the Parents (2000), and its sequel Meet the Fockers (2004).

In 1997, he was honored with a Special Prize for his contribution to cinema at the 20th Moscow International Film Festival.

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<h2>Notable Performances in the 2000s</h2>

<a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">De Niro</a> starred in Men of Honor (2000), portraying Navy Master Chief Billy Sunday, a fictionalized composite of several individuals involved in the story of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Brashear">Carl Brashear</a>, the first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Americans">African-American</a> U.S. Navy <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_diver_(United_States_Navy)">Master Diver</a>. In 2007, he appeared in both Stardust and The Good Shepherd, the latter of which he also directed.

The year 2010 was notably busy, with roles in Edge of Darkness, Machete, Stone, and Little Fockers. In 2011, <a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">De Niro</a> appeared in Killer Elite, Limitless, and New Year’s Eve, further demonstrating his enduring appeal across diverse genres.

<h2>Acting Method and Personal Interests</h2>

<a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">Robert De Niro</a> is renowned for his intense dedication to the craft of acting. To authentically portray his roles, he has undergone a wide range of physical and emotional transformations—living in Sicily to understand <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vito_Corleone">Vito Corleone</a>’s roots, working as a real taxi driver for Taxi Driver (1976), and embracing method acting techniques throughout his career. His personal interests include crosswords, which he has cited as one of his favorite pastimes.

<h2>Personal Life</h2>

<a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">De Niro</a> married <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diahnne_Abbott">actress</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diahnne_Abbott">Diahnne Abbott</a> in 1976. They have a son, Raphael, and <a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">De Niro</a> also adopted <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diahnne_Abbott">Abbott</a>’s daughter from a previous relationship, <a href="/biography/drena-de-niro">Drena De Niro</a>. The couple divorced in 1988.

In the early 1990s, <a href="/biography/robert-de-niro">De Niro</a> had twin sons, Julian Henry and Aaron Kendrick, with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toukie_Smith">actress</a> and model <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toukie_Smith">Toukie Smith</a>. The twins were conceived via in vitro fertilization with the aid of a surrogate mother and were born in 1995.

He later married <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hightower">philanthropist</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hightower">Grace Hightower</a> in 1997. They have two children: a son, Elliot, born in 1998, who has been diagnosed with autism, and a daughter, Helen, born via surrogate in 2011. Despite filing for divorce in 1999, the couple later reconciled and renewed their vows. However, they separated again in 2018.

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