Biography
Who is Robert De Niro?
Early life and education
Robert Anthony De Niro was born in New York City on August 17, 1943. He grew up as the only child of painters Virginia Admiral and Robert De Niro Sr. His mother raised him in the Greenwich Village and Little Italy neighborhoods of Manhattan.
As a schoolboy, he made his stage debut at age 10 playing the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz. He attended several schools in New York, including the Little Red School House, McBurney School, and Rhodes Preparatory School. He eventually left school at 16 to focus entirely on acting.
He studied his craft at HB Studio and Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio. He also trained at the Stella Adler Conservatory, where he learned the techniques of the Stanislavski system.
Career breakthroughs and major films
Robert De Niro began landing film roles during the 1960s, appearing in Greetings and Bloody Mama. His breakthrough came when he starred as Vito Corleone in the crime drama The Godfather Part II, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
He collaborated frequently with director Martin Scorsese, starting with the crime film Mean Streets. He won his second Academy Award for playing boxer Jake LaMotta in the biographical drama Raging Bull. He also earned Oscar nominations for his work in Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter, Awakenings, Cape Fear, Silver Linings Playbook, and Killers of the Flower Moon.
Beyond dramatic performances, he appeared in comedic hits like Analyze This and the Meet the Parents film series. He also directed and acted in A Bronx Tale and The Good Shepherd.
Production work and honors
In 1989, Robert De Niro partnered with producer Jane Rosenthal to found the film and television production company TriBeCa Productions. Together, they also established the Tribeca Film Festival in 2002 to support independent cinema.
Throughout his career, he has received numerous prestigious honors and accolades. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009.
Birthday and age
Robert De Niro was born on August 17, 1943, which makes Robert 83 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Robert shares the date with 37 other famous people.
Explore more
