Born: 17 August 1943
Birthplace: New York, New York
Best Known As: The intense star of Taxi Driver
The most celebrated American film actor of his era, Robert De Niro won an Oscar as best supporting actor for The Godfather, Part II in 1974. Over the next few decades he became known for his intense portrayals of mobsters, tough guys, loners and other not-quite-socially-adjusted characters, and equally well known for his single-minded commitment to acting. (The latter reputation was sealed when he packed on 50 pounds to play boxer Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese's 1980 film Raging Bull, for which he won another Oscar as best actor.
