Robert De Nirois revisiting special moments from his past and sharing moving stories from the present.
Sitting down with PEOPLE, the 80-year-old two-time Oscar winner looks at photos taken over the course of his lifetime: his childhood in New York City, his more memorable roles in films likeTaxi Driverand his recent Oscar-nominated turn inKillers of the Flower Moonand his time as a father of seven children.
“I had good memories and others that I suppose like anybody would. I’m glad that I grew up in New York, was raised in New York,” he continues.
Robert De Niro and his father, Robert De Niro Sr., in the 1940s.Courtesy of HBO and Canal Productions
Courtesy of HBO and Canal Productions
De Niro dropped out of high school to pursue performance and studied at renowned Manhattan institutions. In the 1960s, he worked on Off-Broadway productions and began his career in film.
After starring in 1973’sMean Streets— his first collaboration withMartin Scorsese— De Niro appeared as young Vito Corleone in 1974’sThe Godfather Part II. He won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, but wasn’t at the ceremony to collect the prize.
De Niro was shooting the war-romance1900in Italy, and he found out he won via phone call. “They called me on a landline in those days,” he says. “I was happy.”
Michael V. Gazzo and Robert De Niro in ‘The Godfather Part II’.Everett
Everett
He again worked with Scorsese on the 1976 movieTaxi Driverplaying depressed Vietnam War veteran Travis Bickle. He and Scorsese decided to give Bickle a mohawk haircut to fit the character, but there was one problem.
Robert De Niro on the cover of PEOPLE.Michael Schwartz
Michael Schwartz
“I was going to shootThe Last Tycoonafter, where I needed hair and wavy hair, like Irving Thalberg,” says De Niro, who got Dick Smith, the makeup artist fromThe Godfather Part II,to create a mohawk cap. “He was a great makeup artist. We did a test and it looked good.”
The actor won his second Oscar playing boxer Jake LaMotta inRaging Bull. For the role, De Niro gained 60 pounds. “The weight of course was difficult after the first 15 pounds. It’s just work,” he says.
Robert De Niro wins the Best Actor Oscar for ‘Raging Bull’.ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
What did he eat? “Just everything,” he continues. “And the doctor was monitoring it — cholesterol and things like that, but it was hard.”
“She was just great for the part,” he says. “I think Joe Pesci told us that he knew of a girl that he’d see in clubs or whatever. And so she came in and she was perfect.” (Indeed, Moriarty was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for portraying the complex character.)
De Niro also discusses his life as a father to Drena, 56, and Raphael, 47 (with his first wife Diahnne Abbott), twins Julian and Aaron, 28 (with ex-girlfriend Toukie Smith) and Elliot, 25, and Helen, 12 (with ex-wife Grace Hightower), and 10-month old Gia, whom he shares with his girlfriend, martial arts instructorTiffany Chen, 45.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Robert De Niro and daughter Gia last September.Courtesy Robert De Niro
Courtesy Robert De Niro
Watch the video above to see De Niro talk about other moments, like makingMeet the ParentswithBen Stillerand founding theTribeca Film Festival.
For more on Robert De Niro, pick up the new issue ofPEOPLE.
source: people.com
