Robert De Niro’s Career in Five Artifacts
By Jeffrey L. Wilson
A former student of Robert De Niro
One of the most popular actors of our time, Robert De Niro has been in the public eye and in the news since he made his screen debut in the 1970s in movies such as A Bronx Tale and Raging Bull. However, throughout his career, he was more popular for his personal life than his work, which was more closely aligned with that of his wife’s family. His partner of over 20 years, Al Pacino, was a more famous actor in his own right, playing the roles of Vito Spatafore and Sonny Corleone in films such as Get Shorty and The Godfather Part II. However, Pacino is best known for his personal life, having two children who are now adults: Robin Swicord Pacino and actor Francesco “Grace” Pacino.
After spending over two decades in New York City and doing work for major international film productions, De Niro relocated to Los Angeles for seven years in the early 1980s. He then returned for a short period, where he did more work in television work and voice over work for major corporations. However, it was during 1997’s The Company Men when De Niro first achieved a level of cinematic success. After the film’s success, in 1998, he returned to acting in his more famous roles in movies such as The Departed, Casino and Goodfellas. However, in later life, De Niro’s acting career was more focused on his personal life and family than his work: His relationship with his family and their impact on his career was documented in a movie documentary, Robert De Niro: The Actor in the Family.
When De Niro was not directing, he directed and starred in his own films: In 1997, he directed and starred in Robert De Niro: The Man with the Axe, a biopic about the actor. In 2004, he directed and starred in Robert De Niro: A Piece of Sky, a documentary