Robert De Niro–A Movie Icon
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The most celebrated American film actor of his era,
Robert De Niro won an Oscar as best supporting actor
for The Godfather, Part II in 1974. Over the next
few decades he became known for his intense portrayals
of mobsters, tough guys, loners and other types.
Born august 17th, 1943 in New York City, He
His ancestry – strangely, given his cinematic
connection with the Mafia – is more Irish than Italian.
His parents were both respected artists. His father,
Robert Sr, was a painter, sculptor and poet, an
abstract expressionist by style. His mother, Virginia
Admiral was also a painter.
Robert Jr caught the acting bug early, appearing as The
Cowardly Lion in a local production of The Wizard Of Oz
at the age of 10. His first break came in 1963 when he
appeared in the Wedding Party. [Which was released in
1969]
De Niro entered his most demanding period of work,
landing himself an exceptional series of unforgettable
roles. First he played the young Vito Corleone in Francis
Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part 2, taking the Best
Supporting Actor Oscar for his efforts (he and Brando
are the only actors to have both won Oscars for the
same role).
Then he was back with Scorsese as the unforgettable
vigilante Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. He played Monroe
Stahr, the big-time Hollywood producer looking for love
in The Last Tycoon, and starred in Bertolucci’s unmoving
epic 1900. And one of my favorites the “Deer Hunter”.
Having been Oscar-nominated for Taxi Driver and The Deer
Hunter (he’d later also be nominated for Cape Fear and
Awakenings). He finally took Best Actor for his depiction
of boxer Jake La Motta in Scorsese’s Raging Bull, a role
for which he actually put on 60 pounds.
In the next couple of decades he steadily enhanced his
reputation. He was fantastic as Rupert Pupkin, the crazy
funnyman kidnapping Jerry Lewis in “King Of Comedy”,
unforgettable as a baseball-bat-wielding Al Capone in the
“Untouchables” in 1978.He also stared as Louis Cyphre in
Angel Heart. Then there were excellent oddities like The
Mission, Terry Gilliam’s Brazil and the ludicrously
comedy Midnight Run. He hit it big again with Scorsese
in “Goodfellas, as the demeaning Max Cady in Cape Fear,
and as the Joe Pesci tormented Ace Rothstein in Casino.
And what about “Ronin”?
He gave a stunning performance as a conservative security
guard who has to endure speech therapy with a transvestite
after suffering a stroke. Then came The Adventures of
Rocky and Bullwinkle. With Men Of Honor, where he
played an alcoholic raciest who had to train Cuba
Gooding to be the first African American navy diver.
A Golden Globe nominee in “Meet The PARENTS”.
And the hits just keep on coming in “15 Minutes”,”The
Score”,”Showtime”,”City By The Sea”,”Analyze with Billy
Crystal, “Godsend””Meet The Fockers that broke both
Christmas and New Years records at the box office.
“The Bridge Of San Luis Rey””Hide And Seek”
No wonder that De Niro is an icon in the movie world.
And the one important thing that he has always done is
to keep his private life absolutely quiet. He has been
married twice.He has one adopoted daughter Drena and
3 sons. Aaron,Julian[twins] and Elliot.
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