EXCLUSIVE: Top 10 Things You (Probably) Never Knew About Robert De Niro – From 9/11 Tribute to Killer Weight Gain
The actor is starring in his first-ever TV series, Zero Day, on Netflix.
March 17 2025, Published 12:30 a.m. ET
Screen heavyweight Robert De Niro has won two Oscars and appeared in some of cinema's greatest films, and now he's starring in his first-ever TV series, Zero Day, on Netflix, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Here are 10 things you probably don't know about the 81-year-old legend.
Marlon Brando and Joe Pesci have shared the screen with Robert De Niro in iconic roles.
1. De Niro inherited from lots of people who were skilled in different art forms. Mom, Virginia Admiral, was a painter who had her works displayed in the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, while dad, Robert De Niro Sr., was a respected abstract expressionist painter.
2. Robert grew up in the Little Italy part of the Big Apple, and he was nicknamed "Bobby Milk" because he was pale as milk and very thin.
3. Talk about sinking your teeth into a role... De Niro paid his dentist $5,000 to make his pearly whites appear to be rotting out of his head to play sociopathic killer Max Cady in Cape Fear – then shelled out another $20,000 afterward to have his teeth restored.
4. As of 2004, he became a dual citizen of the U.S. and Italy, an honorary citizenship in recognition of the Italian American's career. But there were rough waters as the Order of the Sons of Italy in the U.S. protested.
5. For his Oscar-winning role of boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull, Robert packed on 66 pounds – but ended up with respiratory problems until he shed them. He also got a cabbie's license to prepare to play Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver.
6. Drena De Niro, who Robert adopted after marrying her mom, Diahnne Abbott, has appeared in nine of her dad's films, including The Intern and Joy.
De Niro's creative journey was heavily influence by his loved ones.
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7. De Niro and Marlon Brando became the first to win Oscars playing the same character, mob boss Vito Corleone – Brando in 1972's The Godfather and Robert in 1974's The Godfather Part II.
8. Robert and Joe Pesci have appeared in seven movies together and are great friends – even though De Niro broke Pesci's ribs during a sparring scene in Raging Bull.
9. To revitalize lower Mannattan following the devastating 9/11 attacks, De Niro helped organize the first Tribeca Film Festival in May 2002.
10. Robert speaks fluent Italian and French.
