Portrait · Georges Biard / CC BY-SA 3.0

Robert De Niro

Actor, director and producer

Born 1943

Robert De Niro is an American actor, director and producer born in New York City, whose career reaches from independent films to crime dramas and comedy. Raised in an artistic family, he grew up in Greenwich Village with his mother, painter Virginia Admiral, and has preserved the studio of his father, Robert De Niro Sr. His early acting education included the Dramatic Workshop, Stella Adler and the Actors Studio, grounding a career built on detailed observation and character preparation. Mean Streets began his enduring collaboration with Martin Scorsese, followed by Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, Goodfellas and Casino. Playing the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II earned him the supporting-actor Academy Award. His portrayal of boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull brought the leading-actor Oscar. His range also includes The Deer Hunter, Midnight Run, Heat, Analyze This, Meet the Parents and Silver Linings Playbook. He moved behind the camera for A Bronx Tale and The Good Shepherd while continuing to act in both films. With Jane Rosenthal, he developed Tribeca Productions and helped establish the Tribeca Festival to renew cultural life in Lower Manhattan after the World Trade Center attacks. He starred as former president George Mullen and executive produced the Netflix limited series Zero Day in 2025. In The Whisper Man, he plays a retired detective drawn into a family crisis and a renewed investigation. Focker-In-Law is scheduled for November 2026, returning him to the Meet the Parents franchise. Cannes honoured his career with an honorary Palme d’Or in May 2025.

Verified identityCore facts checked against named sources.

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Connected people

ConnectionMartin ScorseseCollaborator from Mean Streets through later crime dramas.

ConnectionJane RosenthalCo-founded Tribeca Productions and the festival.

ConnectionLeonardo DiCaprioThis Boy’s Life co-star who presented his SAG career honour.

Lifestyle index · sourced and contextualised

Trivia & tastes

Cover source

Raging Bull: My StoryJake LaMotta with Joseph Carter and Peter Savage

Read Jake LaMotta’s memoir while working in Italy and recommended its story to Scorsese for film development.

Named item linked to an attributable source

The Flamingos — I Only Have Eyes for You

Selected the recording for the young characters’ meeting; an archival film-making choice.

Recorded with an attributable source

Italian food

Expressed this preference in his Table Manners conversation; a historical interview snapshot.

Recorded with an attributable source

Trainer Bob Sale

Worked with Sale on Grudge Match and Hands of Stone; project-specific preparation described in a historical interview.

Recorded with an attributable source

Moderation with sweets

Acknowledged a sweet tooth but said he avoids indulging too much; no complete daily diet was described.

Recorded with an attributable source

Not located in the reviewed sources

Robert De Niro skincare review, 2026-10-05: checked interviews disclosed no qualifying personal product or routine. Unattributed product lists omitted.

Evidence review current to 2026-10-05Not verified

Not located in the reviewed sources

Robert De Niro fragrances review, 2026-10-05: checked interviews disclosed no qualifying personal scent use. Unattributed product lists omitted.

Evidence review current to 2026-10-05Not verified

Little dogs

Described keeping little dogs in his AARP interview; their names and breeds were not specified.

Recorded with an attributable source

Trivia & tastes

Books

Music

Food

Training

Diet

Skincare

Fragrances

Pets