Known as one of the greatest actors of all time, Robert De Niro has starred in dozens of movies. This Manhattan-born actor began his career in 1965 with minor roles in movies such as “Three Rooms in Manhattan”.
Over the next ten years, he continued to excel, landing many roles that earned high praise. He soon began landing more significant roles as he advanced his career. Throughout his career, he has earned two Oscar awards for his role in “The Godfather, Part II” and his role in “Raging Bull”.
With so many excellent Robert De Niro films being a treat to watch, it can be tricky to determine what to watch first! Today, Robert De Niro currently resides in upstate New York and plans to continue his acting career for the foreseeable future. Below, explore some of the best movies that feature this beloved actor, many of which earned him prestigious awards for exceptional acting.
Casino
The 1995 film Casino follows the story of two best friends, Ace Rothstein, and Nicky Santoro, who are part of a mob in Las Vegas. Robert De Niro plays Ace in the film, who is chosen to run the hotel and casino featured in the film. Of course, playing online poker with real money wasn’t an option in 1995, but Robert De Niro is seen playing games at the Tangiers Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. This action-packed crime movie is based on a book.
In his role as Ace Rothstein, Robert De Niro exhibits exceptional acting as he brings this book to life. After the release of this film, Robert and the other actors received praise and awards, with coworker Sharon Stone receiving the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture.
The Godfather, Part II
Following the release of the original “The Godfather” movie in 1972, fans patiently awaited the sequel, Part II. Produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, this film stars Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone, the father of Michael. This movie provides some insight into the early life and career of this character, who grew up in New York City in the 1920s.
The movie itself earned the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1975, while Robert De Niro was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. In a 2017 interview with the actor, Robert stated that he had originally auditioned to play another role in the film but was not awarded the role. Instead, Sonny Corleone was played by actor James Caan in the first Godfather movie.
Robert De Niro’s Acting Awards
Before gaining the fame, he has today, Robert De Niro studied at the HB Studio and Lee Strasberg’s Actor Studio. Knowing he was passionate about acting, he dropped out of school to pressure a career in acting. In addition to the two Oscars he’s won, De Niro has earned many other awards throughout his acting career. These include the AFI Life Achievement Award (2003), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016), and the Kennedy Center Honors (2009).
De Niro in Recent Years
Although Robert is currently 79 years old, he is still seen starring in more recent films. In 2019, De Niro played Frank, the “Irishman” in this film. Directed by Martin Scorsese, this movie follows a true crime mystery about the unsolved disappearance of the character Jimmy Hoffa. Though you’d think he’d want to relax after a lengthy acting career, De Niro shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2023, De Niro played “Salvo” in “About My Father”, a comedy movie based on the relationship between a father and his son. The plot of this movie follows the son, Sebastian, who plans to propose to his girlfriend. Additionally, De Niro starred in the Western Drama film “Killers of the Flower Moon” where he played the main role of Ernest Burkhart.
Set to be released in February 2024, De Niro stars in “Wise Guys”. Fans who have enjoyed watching De Niro star in many roles over his career patiently wait for the release of this exciting film.
Exploring De Niro’s Acting Roles
While De Niro has starred in many memorable roles over the span of his acting career, you won’t want to miss these top movies. In his early years, De Niro was seen playing characters in violent and abrasive situations, such as his role in the aforementioned “The Godfather, Part II”.
As he’s aged, De Niro has transitioned to starring in more comedic roles, such as his recent role in “About My Father”, a comedic film. No matter what type of movies you enjoy watching, you’ll find dozens of excellent De Niro movies to binge-watch. Whether you watch one or binge them all, it’s easy to fall in love with these memorable De Niro movies.