2023-08-12 14:03:00
In Sergio Leone’s gangster epic “Once Upon a Time in America” he embodied a youth who slips into crime in the Jewish quarter of New York. A few blocks away, in “Little Italy”, the offspring of Italo-Irish immigrants once grew up – in the poorest of circumstances. Nevertheless, Robert De Niro was spared the fate of his film character thanks to his early decision to become an actor. At the age of 16 he received his first fee for his role in Anton Chekhov’s “The Bear”.
At the time, he only had a vague idea that a certain Brian De Palma was hanging around in one of the neighboring gangs. This would later have a major impact on his path by introducing him to director Martin Scorsese as a producer – the beginning of a success story in eight films from “Taxi Driver” to “Casino”.
“Could also play a schnitzel”
His slightly crumpled face predestined De Niro for roles as a gangster and wild dog, “but I could also play a schnitzel,” he once said laconically. It is no coincidence that he bears the honorable nickname “Chameleon”. As a character he was a fixed star in the Hollywood sky at least since his Oscars for “The Godfather II” (1975) and “Raging Bull” (1980).
De Niro has also proven to be quite versatile in his private life. In May he announced the birth of his seventh child. Gia Virginia is his first child together with his current partner Tiffany Chen.
The acting legend will be 80 next Thursday. The ORF congratulates the star with a birthday focus. On Monday, ORF 2 will start with the portrait “Robert De Niro – the man behind the world star” (10:30 p.m.), followed by Scorsese’s cult movie “Taxi Driver” (11:25 p.m.). On Tuesday, the comedies “My wife, our children and I” (5:55 p.m.) and “The Big Wedding” (10:50 p.m.) as well as a “Taxi Driver” Dacapo (12:10 a.m.) are on the ORF 1 program.
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