Incomparable actor Robert De Niro (1943–) was born on this day in New York City. He left school at 16 to study acting with legends Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg.

“I don’t like to watch my own movies,” he once said. “I fall asleep.”

If he does, he’s the only one. His powerful performances—raw, unpredictable, mesmerizing—reveal human depth and challenge audiences to look into their souls.

He won his first Oscar for The Godfather II (1974), having learned Sicilian for the role. His gut-wrenching portrayal in The Deer Hunter (1978) alongside Meryl Streep cemented his status.

Partnering with Martin Scorsese, he shocked audiences as Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (1976) with the legendary line, “Are you talkin’ to me?” More brilliance followed in Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), and Casino (1995).

“The talent is in the choices,” De Niro once reflected. In 1989, he founded the TriBeCa Film Center and later stepped behind the camera as a director. Ever private and precise, he continues to immerse himself completely in each role, and even runs a few beloved restaurants.

Today, Robert De Niro remains a towering presence in cinema. He acts, produces, and speaks out with conviction. As a father, grandfather, and cultural icon, he carries forward the same deep authenticity that shaped his earliest performances. He trusts his instincts. He honors the story.

In his presence, there is gravity. In his gaze, truth. And in his silence, a fierce kind of love.