History of Robert De Niro in Timeline
Robert De Niro is a highly acclaimed American actor, director, film producer, and restaurateur, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. He has received numerous awards, including two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe. De Niro has also been nominated for multiple BAFTA and Emmy Awards. His contributions to the film industry have been recognized with prestigious honors such as the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. In 2025 he will receive the Honorary Palme d'Or.
3 hours ago : Robert De Niro's 'Cop Land' being adapted into a TV series; Stallone's movie rebooted.
James Mangold and Robert Levine are working on a 'Cop Land' series. A Sylvester Stallone crime movie is being rebooted at Paramount. The remake is generating considerable buzz.
1950: Original film noir Night and the City released
In 1950, the original film noir Night and the City was released. Robert De Niro starred in the remake in 1992.
1955: Release of the Original Film We're No Angels
In 1955, the original film We're No Angels was released. Robert De Niro later starred in the 1989 remake.
1955: Start date for Goodfellas
The movie Goodfellas, released in 1990, covers the life of Henry Hill and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980.
1962: Original Cape Fear film released
In 1962, the original Cape Fear film was released. It was later remade in 1991 with Robert De Niro in the lead role.
1969: Discovery of L-Dopa benefits in Awakenings
In the film Awakenings, which is based on the book by Oliver Sacks, Dr. Malcolm Sayer discovers benefits of the drug L-Dopa in 1969 and administers it to catatonic patients.
1973: Publication of Awakenings by Oliver Sacks
In 1973, Oliver Sacks published Awakenings, which would later be adapted into a film starring Robert De Niro in 1990.
1977: Recognition for Transformation
In 1977, Newsweek remarked that Robert De Niro "gives you the shock of becoming, of a metamorphosis that can be thrilling, moving, or frightening."
1977: Publication of True Confessions by John Gregory Dunne
In 1977, the novel True Confessions by John Gregory Dunne was published. This novel was later adapted into a film starring Robert De Niro in 1981.
1980: Release of Raging Bull
In 1980, Robert De Niro starred in Raging Bull, a biographical drama directed by Martin Scorsese. De Niro portrays Jake LaMotta, a boxer whose violent behavior destroys his relationships. He had to gain 60 pounds and learn to box for the role. The film was critically acclaimed, and De Niro received praise for his performance.
1980: End date for Goodfellas
The movie Goodfellas, released in 1990, covers the life of Henry Hill and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980.
1981: Release of True Confessions
In 1981, Robert De Niro starred in True Confessions, playing a priest who clashes with his brother, a detective investigating a murder.
1982: De Niro Stars in The King of Comedy
In 1982, Robert De Niro starred in The King of Comedy, playing Rupert Pupkin, a struggling stand-up comedian. The film was a box office disappointment, but De Niro's performance was praised.
1983: Pauline Kael's criticism
In 1983, Pauline Kael expressed her disapproval of Robert De Niro's "disfiguring" transformations in films such as Raging Bull.
1984: Release of Falling in Love
Falling in Love, a romantic comedy starring Robert De Niro opposite Meryl Streep, was released in 1984.
1984: "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." release
In 1984, Bananarama's fan song "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." reached the third place on the UK Singles Chart.
1984: Release of Once Upon a Time in America
In 1984, Robert De Niro starred in Once Upon a Time in America, playing David "Noodles" Aaronson, a Jewish gangster in New York City. The theatrical cut premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
1985: Publication of Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi
In 1985, Wiseguy, a non-fiction book by Nicholas Pileggi, was published. This book served as the source material for the 1990 film Goodfellas, starring Robert De Niro.
July 1987: President of the Jury at the 15th Moscow International Film Festival
In July 1987, Robert De Niro traveled to Russia to serve as president of the jury at the 15th Moscow International Film Festival.
1988: Release of Midnight Run
In 1988, Robert De Niro starred in the buddy cop film, Midnight Run, opposite Charles Grodin. He played bounty hunter Jack Walsh. The film received amicable reception and was a commercial success.
1988: Turned Down Role in The Last Temptation of Christ
In 1988, Robert De Niro turned down the opportunity to play Jesus Christ in Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, and Willem Dafoe was cast instead.
1989: Co-founding TriBeCa Productions
In 1989, Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal co-founded the film production company TriBeCa Productions, which also organizes the Tribeca Film Festival.
1989: Stars in Jacknife and We're No Angels
In 1989, Robert De Niro starred in the drama Jacknife alongside Ed Harris and Kathy Baker, and in the crime comedy We're No Angels with Sean Penn and Demi Moore.
1989: Investment in Tribeca
Since 1989, Robert De Niro has been investing in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan.
1990: Release of Goodfellas
In 1990, Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese reunited for Goodfellas. De Niro played James Conway. The film premiered at the 47th Venice International Film Festival. In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked it as the 92nd-greatest American film.
1990: Opening Tribeca Grill
Robert De Niro, along with Stewart F. Lane, opened Tribeca Grill, a New American restaurant, in Tribeca, Manhattan, in 1990.
1991: Stars in Guilty by Suspicion, Backdraft, and Cape Fear
In 1991, Robert De Niro starred in Guilty by Suspicion, Backdraft, and Cape Fear, his seventh film with Scorsese. He received a Best Actor nomination at the Academy Awards for Cape Fear.
1992: Stars in Mistress and Night and the City
In 1992, Robert De Niro appeared in Mistress, playing Evan Wright, and in Night and the City, a remake of the 1950 film noir. He also served as a producer for Thunderheart.
1993: Directorial Debut with A Bronx Tale
In 1993, Robert De Niro made his directorial debut with A Bronx Tale, a coming-of-age story.
1993: Stars in Mad Dog and Glory and This Boy's Life
In 1993, Robert De Niro starred in the comedy drama Mad Dog and Glory and in the coming-of-age film This Boy's Life, based on the memoir by Tobias Wolff.
1995: Minor roles in French comedy and drama
In 1995, Robert De Niro had minor roles in the French comedy One Hundred and One Nights and in the drama Panther.
1995: Casino Release
In 1995, Robert De Niro starred in 'Casino', marking his last collaboration with Martin Scorsese until 'The Irishman' in 2019.
1995: Stars in Casino and Heat
In 1995, Robert De Niro starred in Casino with Martin Scorsese, playing Sam "Ace" Rothstein, and in the crime thriller Heat, co-starring Al Pacino.
1996: Starring roles in 'The Fan', 'Sleepers', 'Marvin's Room' and Co-producing 'Faithful'
In 1996, Robert De Niro starred in the sports thriller The Fan, the crime drama Sleepers, and Marvin's Room, playing various roles. De Niro also co-produced the crime-comedy Faithful in 1996.
1996: Release of the video game 9: The Last Resort
In 1996, a video game produced by Robert De Niro called 9: The Last Resort was released. It is a surreal point and click puzzle game about a hotel filled with strange characters.
1997: Appearances in 'Cop Land', 'Wag the Dog' and 'Jackie Brown'
In 1997, Robert De Niro appeared in James Mangold's Cop Land, co-starred and co-produced Wag the Dog, and had a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown.
1997: Cop Land release
Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone worked together in the movie 'Cop Land' in 1997.
January 1998: Clinton-Lewinsky scandal helps generate publicity for 'Wag the Dog'
In January 1998, a month after the release of 'Wag the Dog', the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal dominated headlines, boosting publicity for the film. As a result, Wag the Dog was well-received and made the list of Roger Ebert's ten best films of 1997.
1998: Starring in 'Great Expectations' and 'Ronin'
In 1998, Robert De Niro appeared in Great Expectations, a modern adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel. Later that year, he starred in Ronin, playing Sam, an American mercenary.
1998: Lobbying against Clinton's impeachment
In 1998, Robert De Niro lobbied the U.S. Congress against the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.
1999: Starring in 'Analyze This' and 'Flawless'
In 1999, De Niro starred in Analyze This as an insecure mob boss and in Flawless as a homophobic police officer.
2000: Starring in 'The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle', 'Men of Honor', and 'Meet the Parents'
In 2000, Robert De Niro produced and starred in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. He also played Master Chief 'Billy' Sunday in Men of Honor and starred in Meet the Parents.
2001: Lead roles in '15 Minutes' and 'The Score'
In 2001, Robert De Niro had a lead role in the crime thriller 15 Minutes. He then followed up with a role in Frank Oz's The Score.
2002: Roles in 'City by the Sea', 'Analyze That', 'About a Boy', and '9/11'
In 2002, Robert De Niro collaborated with Michael Caton-Jones in City by the Sea. He also appeared in Analyze That, served as a producer for About a Boy, and appeared in the CBS documentary 9/11.
October 2003: Prostate cancer diagnosis
In October 2003, Robert De Niro was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
December 2003: Prostate Cancer Surgery
In December 2003, Robert De Niro underwent surgery for prostate cancer at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
2004: Publication of I Heard You Paint Houses
In 2004, Charles Brandt published the book 'I Heard You Paint Houses', which served as the basis for the 2019 film 'The Irishman' starring Robert De Niro.
2004: Roles in 'Godsend', 'Shark Tale', 'Meet the Fockers', and 'The Bridge of San Luis Rey'
In 2004, Robert De Niro starred in Godsend, voiced a character in Shark Tale, reprised his role in Meet the Fockers, and starred in The Bridge of San Luis Rey.
2005: Starring in 'Hide and Seek'
In 2005, Robert De Niro starred in the horror film Hide and Seek opposite Dakota Fanning, playing Dr. David Callaway.
2006: Directing 'The Good Shepherd' and voicing Emperor Sifrat XVI
In 2006, Robert De Niro directed his second film, the spy thriller The Good Shepherd, and voiced the character Emperor Sifrat XVI in Arthur and the Invisibles.
2006: Donation to Harry Ransom Center
In 2006, Robert De Niro donated his film-related materials to the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
2006: Italian citizenship
In 2006, Robert De Niro received Italian citizenship, despite opposition by the Sons of Italy.
2007: Appearance in 'Stardust'
In 2007, Robert De Niro's sole project was Matthew Vaughn's Stardust, where he played Captain Shakespeare.
2007: Goodfellas Ranked as One of the Greatest American Films
In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked Goodfellas, starring Robert De Niro, as the 92nd-greatest American film of all time in their 10th Anniversary Edition of the AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list.
2008: Starring in 'Righteous Kill' and 'What Just Happened'
In 2008, Robert De Niro starred in the police procedural thriller Righteous Kill opposite Al Pacino and in the satirical comedy What Just Happened.
2009: Kennedy Center Honors
In 2009, Robert De Niro was announced as one of the Kennedy Center Honorees, recognized for his commitment to his characters and co-founding a major film festival. Martin Scorsese and Meryl Streep honored him at the event.
2009: Cast as Frank Goode in 'Everybody's Fine'
In 2009, Robert De Niro was cast as Frank Goode in the drama Everybody's Fine, a remake of Giuseppe Tornatore's Italian film of the same name.
2009: Collection opens to the public
In 2009, Robert De Niro's collection of film-related materials at the Harry Ransom Center opened to the public.
2010: Minor role in 'Machete' and starring in 'Stone' and 'Little Fockers'
In 2010, Robert De Niro had a minor part in Machete and starred in Stone and Little Fockers, the second sequel to Meet the Parents.
2011: Starring in 'Manuale d'amore 3', 'Killer Elite', 'Limitless', and 'New Year's Eve'
In 2011, Robert De Niro starred in the Italian comedy Manuale d'amore 3 and also appeared in Killer Elite, Limitless, and New Year's Eve. He was also appointed president of the jury for the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
2012: Silver Linings Playbook Release
In 2012, Robert De Niro appeared in David O. Russell's 'Silver Linings Playbook' as the father of Pat Solatano, played by Bradley Cooper. The film was a critical and commercial success, receiving eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for De Niro. De Niro also served as an executive producer for the television series 'NYC 22' in 2012.
2012: Joining Artists Against Fracking
In 2012, Robert De Niro joined the anti-fracking campaign Artists Against Fracking.
2012: Roles in 'Being Flynn', 'Red Lights', and 'Freelancers'
In 2012, Robert De Niro starred in the drama Being Flynn, based on Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, and also appeared in the thrillers Red Lights and Freelancers.
2013: Attendance at Shimon Peres's birthday
In 2013, Robert De Niro attended Israeli President Shimon Peres's 90th birthday celebration and praised him as "a great person, [and] a great statesman."
2013: Cameo role in American Hustle
In 2013, Robert De Niro played an uncredited cameo role as mob boss Victor Tellegio in David O. Russell's 'American Hustle'.
2013: Starring in Multiple Films
In 2013, Robert De Niro starred in 'The Big Wedding', 'Killing Season', 'The Family', and 'Last Vegas'. 'Last Vegas' received respectable reviews, while the others were met with largely negative responses. He also starred in 'Grudge Match' opposite Sylvester Stallone and 'The Bag Man'.
2014: Remembering the Artist Robert De Niro Sr. Airs on HBO
In 2014, Robert De Niro appeared in 'Remembering the Artist Robert De Niro Sr.', a documentary about his father, which aired on HBO.
2015: Additional film roles in 2015
In 2015, Robert De Niro appeared in two short films, 'The Audition' and 'Ellis', and starred in the film 'Heist'. He also starred in the biographical drama 'Joy', opposite Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.
2015: Partnership with James Packer
In 2015, Robert De Niro partnered with James Packer after Packer acquired a 20 percent stake in Nobu for $100 million.
2015: Starring in The Intern
In 2015, Robert De Niro starred alongside Anne Hathaway in the movie 'The Intern', for which he received a Critics Choice Movie Awards nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy.
2016: Starring in Dirty Grandpa and Other Films
In 2016, Robert De Niro co-starred in 'Dirty Grandpa' with Zac Efron. He also appeared in 'Hands of Stone' and 'The Comedian', which premiered at the AFI Fest.
2016: Presidential Medal of Freedom
In 2016, Robert De Niro received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.
2017: Starring as Bernie Madoff in The Wizard of Lies
In 2017, Robert De Niro starred as Bernie Madoff in Barry Levinson's HBO film 'The Wizard of Lies', earning critical praise and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
2019: Roles in Joker and The Irishman
In 2019, Robert De Niro played Murray Franklin in 'Joker' and reunited with Martin Scorsese for 'The Irishman', based on the 2004 book 'I Heard You Paint Houses'.
2019: SNL appearances and Emmy nominations
In 2019, Robert De Niro portrayed Robert Mueller on 'Saturday Night Live', receiving an Emmy nomination. He also received an Emmy nomination for his work as a producer on the Netflix miniseries 'When They See Us'.
May 2020: Apple TV+ to co-finance and co-distribute Killers of the Flower Moon
In May 2020, it was announced that Apple TV+ would co-finance and co-distribute 'Killers of the Flower Moon' with Paramount, due to the film's budget of $200 million.
September 2020: Father of the Bride Part 3(ish) appearance
In September 2020, Robert De Niro appeared in Nancy Meyers' comedy short film 'Father of the Bride Part 3(ish)'. He also appeared in 'The Comeback Trail'.
2020: 'Godsend' De Niro's poorest-performing work
As of 2020, the film Godsend is Robert De Niro's poorest-performing work; Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an approval rating of 4% based on 139 critic reviews.
January 2021: Signs on for Amsterdam
In January 2021, Robert De Niro signed on for the historical comedy 'Amsterdam', playing an army veteran.
August 2022: Signs on for The Alto Knights
In August 2022, Robert De Niro signed on to star in the Warner Bros. mob drama 'The Alto Knights', directed by Barry Levinson.
October 2022: Amsterdam Release
In October 2022, the film 'Amsterdam', starring Robert De Niro as a decorated general, was released.
December 2, 2022: Savage Salvation Release
On December 2, 2022, 'Savage Salvation', starring Robert De Niro as Sheriff Church, was released.
2022: Films inducted into the U.S. National Film Registry
As of 2022, six of Robert De Niro's films had been inducted into the U.S. National Film Registry.
March 1, 2023: Zero Day announced
On March 1, 2023, it was announced that Robert De Niro will produce and star in the limited series 'Zero Day' for Netflix.
2023: About My Father and Nada
In 2023, Robert De Niro appeared in the comedy 'About My Father' and the television series 'Nada'.
2023: Killers of the Flower Moon
In 2023, Robert De Niro starred as William King Hale in 'Killers of the Flower Moon', directed by Martin Scorsese. De Niro was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the role.
2024: Leadership award withdrawn
In 2024, Robert De Niro was due to receive a leadership award from the National Association of Broadcasters, but the honor was withdrawn following his criticism of Donald Trump.
2024: Ezra Theatrical Release
The film 'Ezra', starring Robert De Niro, which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival 2023, was acquired by Bleecker Street for theatrical release in 2024.
May 2025: Cannes Film Festival's Honorary Palme d'Or
In May 2025, Robert De Niro received the Cannes Film Festival's Honorary Palme d'Or.
2025: Moncler's Warmer Together fashion campaign
In 2025, Robert De Niro appeared alongside Al Pacino in Moncler's "Warmer Together" fashion campaign.
2025: Zero Day Premieres
The television series 'Zero Day', produced and starring Robert De Niro, premiered in 2025.
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