The advice Robert De Niro would give to his younger self
Throughout its existence, Hollywood has produced a lot of movie stars, but very few of them have managed to achieve the same global status as Robert De Niro. With masterpieces such as Taxi Driver and Raging Bull under his belt, De Niro’s unimaginably extensive legacy is one that most actors can’t even hope to achieve. That’s why it’s never surprising when some of the biggest names in the industry cite him as the greatest actor alive.
Ranging from Martin Scorsese to Francis Ford Coppola, De Niro worked with some of the greatest directors on iconic projects that have become a permanent part of the popular consciousness. Including timeless gems like The Godfather Part II and Once Upon a Time in America, De Niro’s filmography is stacked with one incredible accomplishment after another. Even in recent years, the actor has made impressive additions to his oeuvre in the form of movies such as The Irishman and Joker.
Most fans are visibly excited about De Niro’s upcoming collaboration with Martin Scorsese on his new film – Killers of the Flower Moon. Starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, De Niro will play the role of cattleman William Hale in Scorsese’s latest crime drama about the extremely volatile sociopolitical landscape of the Osage Nation in the 1920s. Set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this summer, Killers of the Flower Moon has already got the entire world’s attention.
Due to his excellence in his craft and longevity in the field, De Niro is often asked for acting advice and other insights about the industry. During an Actors Roundtable organised by The Hollywood Reporter, the Taxi Driver star sat down with Shia Labeouf, Tom Hanks, Adam Driver, Jamie Foxx and Adam Sandler to share trade secrets and reflect on his career. As you can already imagine, it’s full of invaluable insights from talented stars.
One of the most interesting parts of the conversation occurred when the interviewer asked De Niro whether he had any advice for his younger self. The actor responded: “Well, I was saying something to my grandson the other day… ‘Just be calm, when things are going well, be calm. Don’t think you’re on top of the world, in a sense; you always gotta be wary’, because I’ve seen it. I’ve seen people come, I’ve seen people go. I’ve seen ’em come, I’ve seen ’em go. You gotta just chill…”
While talking about the worst mistakes that a young actor can make, De Niro insisted that controlling one’s ego was vital for surviving in Hollywood. He added: “Take what’s good in your life and move forward cautiously and carefully, and thank God that you have that. It’s very, very important not to overextend yourself when you think you’ve got it… there’s no such thing. Everybody’s dispensable.”
Watch the discussion below.
