Robert De Niro was born on August 17, 1943, in Manhattan, New York. He is the son of Virginia Admiral, a poet and painter, and Robert De Niro Sr., a respected painter and sculptor. His father was of Italian and Irish descent, while his mother had German ancestry. The couple met in a painting class in Provincetown, Massachusetts. They divorced when Robert was three years old after his father disclosed that he was gay.
Following the separation, De Niro was primarily raised by his mother, though his father remained nearby and continued to play an active role in his life. He attended Public School 14 in Manhattan and later went on to study acting at the Stella Adler Conservatory. He also trained at Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio, further honing his craft.
De Niro landed his first film role at the age of 20 in Brian De Palma’s “The Wedding Party,” which was filmed in 1963 but released in 1969. His next notable appearance was in the 1970 film “Bloody Mama.” He gained critical attention for his role in “Bang the Drum Slowly” (1973), where he portrayed a terminally ill baseball player.
Later that same year, De Niro starred as a streetwise criminal in Martin Scorsese’s “Mean Streets,” a film that marked the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration between the actor and the director. His portrayal of the young Vito Corleone in “The Godfather Part II” (1974) earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
| Net Worth 2021: | 500 million |
