7 Shocking Secrets Behind Young Robert De Niro’s Most Iconic 1970s Film Roles

Few actors in cinematic history possess the transformative power and intense dedication of Robert De Niro. Even today, in late 2025, film retrospectives and recent interviews continue to dissect the unparalleled run of performances he delivered in his youth, particularly throughout the 1970s, a period that cemented his status as a screen legend. This era wasn't just about acting; it was about an immersive, often shocking, commitment to the craft of method acting that changed Hollywood forever.

The "young Robert De Niro" is a figure of myth—a brooding, intense, and physically chameleonic presence who partnered with director Martin Scorsese to create some of the most enduring characters in American cinema. From the haunted gaze of Travis Bickle to the explosive rage of Jake LaMotta, his early career is a masterclass in dedication, a journey we explore by detailing the man behind the myth and the secrets of his legendary roles.

Robert De Niro: Complete Early Biography Profile

Robert De Niro’s path to becoming an acting icon began far from the glamour of Hollywood, rooted deeply in the artistic and bohemian culture of New York City.

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• Full Name: Robert Anthony De Niro Jr.
• Born: August 17, 1943
• Birth Place: Greenwich Village, New York City, New York, United States.
• Parents: Robert De Niro Sr. (Abstract Expressionist painter and sculptor) and Virginia Admiral (painter and poet). His parents separated when he was three.
• Early Life: Nicknamed "Bobby Milk" for his pale complexion, he grew up in the artistic community of Greenwich Village and Little Italy.
• Education: He dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to pursue acting full-time.
• Initial Training: He studied under the influential acting coaches Stella Adler at the Stella Adler Conservatory and later under Lee Strasberg at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, mastering the techniques of method acting.
• First Major Breakthrough: His first major collaboration with Martin Scorsese was the 1973 film Mean Streets.

The Shocking Intensity of De Niro’s Method Acting

The core of young Robert De Niro’s success lies in his unwavering devotion to the Method, a technique of intense, immersive acting. His preparation for roles in the 1970s and early 1980s was legendary, often blurring the lines between the actor and the character.

1. The Secret Language of Young Vito Corleone

De Niro won his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the young Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part II (1974).

• The Language Immersion: To prepare, De Niro lived in Sicily for three months. Crucially, he learned the Sicilian dialect for the role, ensuring his performance was authentic to the character’s roots.
• The Silent Observation: He spent countless hours watching Marlon Brando's performance in the original film, not to mimic, but to understand the character's core essence and mannerisms at an earlier age.
• The Oscar First: He became the first actor to win an Oscar for playing a younger version of a character for which another actor (Brando) had already won an Oscar.

2. The Unhinged Transformation for Taxi Driver

His role as the isolated, mentally deteriorating Vietnam veteran Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976) is arguably his most iconic. The preparation was famously extreme.

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• The Real-Life Work: De Niro obtained a New York taxi driver's license and worked 12-hour shifts driving a cab around the city for a month. He would pick up passengers between takes of filming 1900 in Italy, studying the isolation and nocturnal life of a cabbie.
• The Military Study: He spent time at a military base, studying the mannerisms and mindset of soldiers returning from Vietnam to capture the veteran's detachment and trauma.
• The Haircut: The famous mohawk was an authentic touch, a symbol of Bickle's final, desperate break with society.

The Physical Extremism and Enduring Legacy

The lengths to which De Niro would go for a role became the stuff of Hollywood legend. His physical transformations set a new, often dangerous, standard for method actors.

3. The Raging Bull Weight Gain

For his Oscar-winning role as boxer Jake LaMotta in Scorsese’s Raging Bull (1980), De Niro performed one of the most drastic physical transformations ever seen on screen.

• The Boxer's Body: For the scenes depicting LaMotta’s younger, fighting years, De Niro trained intensely with the real Jake LaMotta, achieving the physique of a professional middleweight boxer.
• The Shocking Transformation: Production was halted for several weeks so De Niro could travel to Italy and gain nearly 60 pounds to portray the older, retired, and overweight LaMotta. This rapid weight gain caused him breathing problems and was a major health risk.

4. The Early Scorsese Collaboration in Mean Streets

His partnership with director Martin Scorsese is one of cinema's most important. It began in earnest with Mean Streets (1973), where De Niro played the volatile Johnny Boy, a role that defined the "De Niro archetype."

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• The Improvisation: Much of the dynamic between Johnny Boy and Charlie (Harvey Keitel) was driven by improvisation. Scorsese encouraged the two actors, who were close friends, to draw on their real-life New York City experiences, lending the film its raw, documentary-like feel.
• The Volatile Energy: De Niro's performance was a burst of manic, unpredictable energy, immediately establishing him as a compelling new force in cinema.

5. The Deer Hunter Russian Roulette Scene

In Michael Cimino's powerful Vietnam War film, The Deer Hunter (1978), De Niro’s portrayal of Michael Vronsky was lauded for its emotional depth and restraint.

• The Real Tension: For the terrifying Russian Roulette scenes, De Niro reportedly insisted on using a real gun with a single blank round to heighten the genuine fear and tension in the room, though safety precautions were, of course, strictly enforced.
• The Silent Intensity: The role showcased his ability to convey profound emotion and psychological damage through minimal dialogue, relying on his eyes and subtle body language.

6. The Unconventional Training for The Last Tycoon

Even in less-remembered roles from his youth, De Niro’s dedication was evident. For Elia Kazan's The Last Tycoon (1976), he played Hollywood studio chief Monroe Stahr.

• The Studio Immersion: De Niro spent time studying the behavior of real-life studio executives, adopting the subtle power dynamics and quiet intensity of a man who controlled the dreams of Hollywood.

7. The Enduring Legacy: A Retrospective View in 2025

Decades later, critics and his peers still look back at the young De Niro's work as a high-water mark for acting. Recent interviews with the now-octogenarian actor reveal a man who simply "takes what comes his way," but his early career remains a reference point.

The LSI keywords like De Niro's 1970s filmography, Martin Scorsese collaborations, and the term physical transformation are synonymous with his name because of the standards he set. His intense commitment to the Method—whether learning Sicilian, driving a taxi, or risking his health for weight gain—is what makes the body of work from the young Robert De Niro not just great acting, but a piece of cinematic history that continues to influence actors today.