BIO

Robert De Niro was born Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. in New York City, in 1943.   His parents were the painter and poet Virginia Admiral (1915-2000) and painter Robert De Niro, Sr. (1922-1993).   His parents divorced when his was a toddler and he lived with his mother, but spent much time with his father who lived within walking distance.

De Niro dropped out of high school to pursue acting.   He made his feature film debut in 1965, at the age of 23, in a French film for Les Productions Montaigne.

He began a long-term acting relationship with the director Martin Scorsese in Mean Streets (1973) and has appeared in 8 of his films through 1995.

De Niro received his first Academy Award for Actor in a Supporting Role with his performance in Francis Ford Coppola’s classic sequel The Godfather: Part II (1974).   He also won the Oscar for his star turn portraying the boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980).

To date, De Niro has also been nominated for a Leading Actor Academy Award 4 times:

• Taxi Driver (1976),
• The Deer Hunter (1978),
• Awakenings (1990) and
• Cape Fear (1991).

He also received his second Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination for Silver Linings Playbook (2012).

After co-founding TriBeCa Productions in 1989, De Niro also turned to producing and directing and has completed more than 30 feature films and television series to date.

He married the actress/singer Diahnne Abbott (1945- ) in 1976 and the couple raised two children before divorcing in 1988.   Their daughter is the actress Drena De Niro (1971- ).

De Niro also has two children from a long-term relationship with the model/actress Toukie Smith (1955- ).

He married Grace Hightower (1955- ) in 1997 and the couple have two children.

Broadway stage history is available at:

Additional biographical information is available at:

NOTED FILMS

Complete filmography at: