On May 13, 2025, Robert De Niro, an 81-year-old cinematic icon, received an honorary Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement at the opening ceremony of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, marking a significant moment in his nearly five-decade relationship with the festival. Below are 10 lesser-known facts about the actor, drawing from his storied career and personal life, while avoiding widely known details like his iconic roles or Oscars for The Godfather Part II and Raging Bull.
- Bohemian Roots in Greenwich Village: Born to artist parents, Virginia Admiral and Robert De Niro Sr., in Manhattan, De Niro grew up in a bohemian environment surrounded by painters and intellectuals. His streetwise attitude, honed in Little Italy, shaped his early performances, particularly in Mean Streets (1973), where he and Martin Scorsese depicted their shared neighborhood.
- Method Acting Extremes: De Niro’s commitment to method acting is legendary but less known are specifics like him interviewing his own fans to prepare for The King of Comedy (1983), a film he brought to Scorsese to explore his conflicted relationship with fame. He also ground his teeth for Cape Fear (1991) to alter his appearance, showcasing his physical dedication.
- Early Brian De Palma Collaborations: Before his Scorsese partnership, De Niro worked with a young Brian De Palma on lesser-known films like The Wedding Party (1969), Greetings (1968), and Hi, Mom! (1970). These anti-hero roles helped define his raw, charismatic style and De Palma’s experimental aesthetic.
- Tribeca Festival Founder: After 9/11, De Niro co-founded the Tribeca Film Festival in 2002 to revitalize Lower Manhattan. Less known is that he donated his extensive collection of film scripts, costumes, and props to the University of Texas at Austin’s Harry Ransom Center in 2006, making it publicly accessible by 2009.
- Musical Talents: For New York, New York (1977), De Niro learned to play the saxophone, practicing rigorously to convincingly portray a jazz musician. Though the film wasn’t a commercial hit, his dedication to the instrument impressed Scorsese and the crew.
- Directorial Ventures: De Niro directed only two films: A Bronx Tale (1993) and The Good Shepherd (2006). Less known is that A Bronx Tale was inspired by his desire to tell authentic New York stories, drawing from his own upbringing, and he mentored first-time actor Chazz Palminteri, who wrote the original play.
- Political Activism: Beyond his vocal criticism of certain political figures, De Niro has long explored American societal issues in his roles, tackling organized crime, Vietnam War trauma, and media manipulation in films like Joker (2019) and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023). His humanist stance also led to his Kennedy Center Honors in 2009.
- Cannes Jury President: In 2011, De Niro served as president of the Cannes jury, selecting Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life for the Palme d’Or. Less known is that he was initially hesitant, citing the responsibility of judging peers, but his leadership was praised for its fairness and cinematic insight.
- Italian Language Role: In 2011, De Niro acted in the Italian film Manuale d’amore 3 (The Ages of Love), playing an American professor in Rome. His willingness to perform in Italian, a nod to his paternal Italian heritage, surprised fans and showcased his versatility in non-English roles.
- Baseball Aversion: For Bang the Drum Slowly (1973), De Niro played a baseball player with terminal cancer. Co-star Michael Moriarty noted that De Niro learned just enough baseball for the role and reportedly never touched a baseball again, disliking the sport despite his convincing performance.
De Niro’s connection to Cannes spans from his 1976 appearances in Taxi Driver (Palme d’Or winner) and 1900, to opening the festival with The King of Comedy (1983), and his most recent Croisette appearance for Killers of the Flower Moon (2023). His honorary Palme d’Or and masterclass on May 14, 2025, at the Debussy Theatre celebrate a career that has shaped modern cinema.