Robert de niro biography married grace hightower

Robert De Niro is an American actor, producer, and director, born on August 17, 1943, in New York City. Widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation. Renowned for his intense performances, he rose to fame through classic collaborations with Martin Scorsese, including "Taxi Driver", "Raging Bull", and "Goodfellas". De Niro won Academy Awards for "The Godfather Part II" and "Raging Bull." De Niro co-founded the Tribeca Film Festival and is involved in business ventures like the Nobu restaurant chain, earning numerous awards and solidifying his status as a legendary figure in film.

Robert De Niro has been married twice. He was married to Diahnne Abbott for 12 years and to Grace Hightower for 20 years. Besides these marriages, he also dated Toukie Smith and Tiffany Chen.

De Niro and Diahnne Abbott were married from 1976 to 1988. He married Grace Hightower in 1997, and they were together until 2018. Outside of marriage, he had a relationship with model Toukie Smith, and they had two children together. In the 2020s, he started dating Tiffany Chen, and in May 2023, they welcomed a baby girl, Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro, on April 6, 2023. , De Niro's seventh child.

Learn more everything you want to know about Robert De Niro wives - Diahnne Abbott and Grace Hightower, also about the dating history of the Godfather Part II star.

Who are Robert De Niro Wives?

Robert De Niro wives- Diahnne Abbott and Grace Hightower. De Niro has been married and divorced a few times. He first got married to Diahnne Abbott in 1976, but they later divorced in 1988. They have two children together, a son named Raphael and a daughter named Drena. After that, De Niro married Grace Hightower in 1997, but they also went through a divorce in 2018. They have two children as well, a son named Elliot and a daughter named Helen.

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Robert De Niro prefers to keep his personal life private, but throughout his career, he’s had quite a few notable relationships.

The legendary actor first found love early in his career when he met Diahnne Abbott on the set of Taxi Driver. The pair’s romance blossomed off-screen, and they got married the same year the film was released. Over the next decade, De Niro adopted Abbott’s daughter from her previous relationship, and then the couple went on to welcome a son. But by 1988, their relationship was on the rocks— and De Niro had become a massive star.

Following his split from Abbott, De Niro went on to privately date several other women, including Naomi Campbell and Toukie Smith, with whom he welcomed two children. De Niro ultimately decided to settle down again in 1997 when he married Grace Hightower, a woman he had known for a decade.

Robert De Niro's 7 Children: Everything to Know

Although their marriage had its ups and downs, including plans to divorce just two years after their wedding, they ultimately stuck together for over 20 years. During that time, De Niro and Hightower became parents to a son named Elliot and a daughter named Helen. In 2018, however, they made the “difficult” decision to divorce, moving forward as co-parents.

In the years following his divorce, De Niro has been linked to martial arts instructor Tiffany Chen, whom he originally met on the set of a movie. While they have been incredibly private about their relationship, De Niro recently shared that they had welcomed a baby, a daughter named Gia Virginia Chen De Niro.

Here’s a look back at Robert De Niro’s dating history.

Diahnne Abbott

De Niro first crossed paths with Diahnne Abbott in 1975 while they were working on Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. The film marked Abbott’s first credited role, where she played a movie box office clerk who interacted with De Niro’s character. The pa

American philanthropist, socialite, actress, and singer

Grace Hightower is an American socialite, philanthropist, and actress. She married Robert De Niro in 1997, and separated from him in 2018.

Career

As a philanthropist, Hightower launched Grace Hightower & Coffees of Rwanda in 2013 with the mission of improving Rwandan livelihoods by marketing their products internationally. She is a board member of the New York Women's Foundation and the New York Fund for Public Schools as well as a member of Ronald Perelman's Women's Heart Health Advisory Council and the International Women's Coffee Alliance. Hightower has been honored for her work by numerous institutions including the American Cancer Society of New York City.

As a socialite, Hightower's gala 55th birthday party was covered in Vogue magazine by André Leon Talley. In 2010, she presented the Pratt Institute's Creative Spirit Award to director Lee Daniels.

As an actress, Hightower has had minor roles in various movies including Precious (2009) and The Paperboy (2012). Additionally, she had a minor part in the ABC TV series, NYPD Blue, in the 1994 Season One episode entitled "Zeppo Marks Brothers".

As a singer, she performed the lead vocals for the track, "Somethin's Comin' My Way", written by Dan Manjovi for the 2009 Precious movie soundtrack.

Personal life

Hightower is of African-American descent and was raised in Kilmichael, Mississippi. She grew up in poverty, and worked various odd jobs to help support her family. Hightower

Early life

Robert De Niro was born on August 17, 1943, in New York City, to Robert De Niro Sr and Virginia Admiral, both artists. Having caught the acting bug at school aged ten, Robert appeared as the Cowardly Lion in a local production of The Wizard Of Oz, and then, after dropping out of high school, went on to study with renowned theatre experts.

Early career

De Niro first flourished under the tutelage of Lee Strasberg - one of the greatest forces in method acting - and then was taught at the famed Stella Adler Studio Of Acting. He paid his dues off-Broadway, but soon established himself as a master of disguise, utterly inhabiting his roles in a string of acclaimed films. After several small movie roles, the Manhattan native's career took off with 1973's Bang The Drum Slowly - for which he picked up a New York Film Critics Circle Award - and Mean Streets, his first film with celebrated director Martin Scorsese. 

Career success

De Niro went on to find Academy Award glory in 1975, picking up a Best Actor In A Supporting Role trophy for his role in the sequel to The Godfather. Oscar nominations followed in 1977 for Taxi Driver and again in 1979 for The Deer Hunter. He finally took home the Best Actor gong for 1980's Raging Bull - for which he gained 60lbs - and a decade later found himself nominated yet again for the Robin Williams starring Awakenings and 1992's Cape Fear.

Scorsese - who has worked with the legendary actor in ten films and one short film - says De Niro "doesn't look at you; he considers you". And that may be the secret to his commanding performances and longevity. His staying power has also been boosted by a new-found career as the king of comedy in hits such as Meet The Parents with Ben Stiller and its sequel, Meet The Fockers. 

De Niro has also worked on the other side of the camera, making his directorial debut with the well-received 1993 film A Bronx