Robert De Niro Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Robert De Niro’s Net Worth and Salary?

An American film and stage actor, producer, and director, Robert De Niro boasts a net worth of $500 million. Alongside his immensely successful acting career, he has accumulated significant wealth as a co-founder of the Nobu chain of upscale sushi restaurants and hotels. Currently, there are over 40 Nobu locations worldwide, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in yearly revenue.

Recent filings associated with his contentious divorce from Grace Hightower, his spouse from 1997 to 2018, indicate that Robert’s net worth is at a minimum of $500 million. The filings further asserted that between 2004 and 2018, he earned between $250 million to $300 million from film salaries and business dividends.

Raised in New York, De Niro attended two renowned acting schools in the city: the Stella Adler Conservatory and the Actor’s Studio, led by Lee Strasberg. Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, he featured in several iconic films set in New York City, many directed by fellow New Yorker Martin Scorsese, such as “Taxi Driver” and “New York, New York,” among others. His remarkable performances in productions like “Bang the Drum Slowly,” “Mean Streets,” and “The Godfather, Part II,” for which he received an Oscar, established him as a top-tier actor. He continued to receive accolades for his exceptional performances for years thereafter.

In recent times, while making occasional film appearances, De Niro has shifted focus towards philanthropic endeavors and expanding his hotel/restaurant enterprise. He established the highly successful Tribeca Film Festival and invested in various properties and restaurants in lower Manhattan, owning multiple properties on both the East and West Sides of Manhattan.

Early Life

Born in New York City on August 14, 1943, De Niro is the son of two artists. His mother, Virginia Admiral, was a painter, while his father, Robert De Niro Sr., was an abstract expressionist painter and sculptor. By the age of three, De Niro’s parents had divorced, leading him to be raised by his mother in Greenwich Village.

At ten years old, Robert made his debut on stage as the Cowardly Lion in his school’s rendition of “The Wizard of Oz,” sparking his passion for acting. By 16, he had left school to chase his acting aspirations. He honed his craft under the guidance of legendary mentors, Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler. At 20, De Niro landed his inaugural film role in “The Wedding Party,” directed by Brian De Palma, with whom he would later collaborate again in “Hi Mom.”

Full exposure eluded Robert until he portrayed a dying baseball player in “Bang the Drum Slowly.” His collaboration with director Martin Scorsese began with “Mean Streets,” marking the start of a relationship that would last decades. In 1974, De Niro received his first Academy Award.

portraying a young Don Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather II”.

Film Success

Following that, De Niro’s career began to flourish. He delivered a series of celebrated performances, stretching from “Taxi Driver” to “Deer Hunter”, the latter earning him yet another Academy Award nomination. His portrayal of Travis Bickle in “Taxi Driver” would elevate him to iconic status. The line “You talkin’ to me,” which De Niro improvised, became a quintessential quote in American cinema.

Known for his intense method acting, De Niro took on the role of a taxi driver to authentically portray Travis Bickle. He spent time living in Sicily for “Godfather II” and learned to play the saxophone for “New York, New York”. In 1980, he fully committed to embodying real-life boxer Jack Lamotta in Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull”, where he trained to box and gained sixty pounds. This dedication paid off, as Robert won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.

De Niro made his directorial debut in 1993 with “A Bronx Tale”, based on a screenplay by fellow actor Chazz Palminteri, which drew inspiration from Palminteri’s one-man show about his vibrant youth. Although initially dismissed, the film has since garnered a niche audience. De Niro did not return to directing until 2006 with “The Good Shepherd”.

Personal Life

Currently, De Niro lives in New York, dedicating efforts to the development of the TriBeca neighborhood. His investments include The TriBeca Film Festival, TriBeca Productions, and The TriBeca Grill.

In 1997, he wed Grace Hightower, and they welcomed their son Elliot a year later. Besides Elliot, De Niro has another son named Raphael from his first marriage to Dianne Abbott. He also adopted Abbott’s daughter Drena from a prior relationship of Abbott’s. Additionally, he has twin sons, conceived via in vitro fertilization through a surrogate mother.

Robert sought a divorce in 1999 but they managed to reconcile until finally separating permanently in 2018. More details regarding their divorce battle will follow in a few paragraphs.

Business Ventures

Apart from his acting career, Robert De Niro co-founded the immensely successful Nobu restaurant chain alongside Nobu Matsuhisa. Currently, there are over 40 Nobu locations worldwide, reportedly generating several hundred million dollars in revenue annually. Additionally, Robert is a co-owner of The Greenwich Hotel in New York.

In 2017, Robert and Australian billionaire James Packer unveiled plans for a luxury resort named “Paradise Found” to be situated on the Eastern Caribbean island of Barbuda.

Divorce Battle

In June 2019, legal documentation was filed by Grace Hightower, Robert’s ex-wife, as part of their ongoing divorce; this paperwork included detailed information about their finances and assets.

Grace’s filings indicated that Robert’s net worth is at least $500 million, and he earned between $250 million and $300 million from 2004 to 2018, largely due to his growing Nobu business. According to the prenuptial agreement they signed in 2004, Grace would receive $1 million per year for each year of their marriage, a $6 million apartment, $500,000 in cash, and half the value of their primary residence. Nevertheless, Ms. Hightower submitted motions requesting 50% of the actor’s wealth, arguing that Robert had kept her unaware of his financial dealings for over a decade.

A subsequent interpretation of the prenup, disclosed in court documents, stipulated that Robert would owe Grace $1 million in any year where he earned at least $15 million, which applies to most years. If he earned less, the payment to Grace would decrease accordingly.

In July 2020, amid the ongoing divorce proceedings, Grace informed the court that Robert had unjustly reduced her monthly American Express allowance from $100,000 to $50,000. In response, De Niro contended that the COVID-19 pandemic had severely impacted his income and caused significant declines in his business empire. He reportedly had to borrow $500,000 to cover a portion of Nobu’s growing debts, with his lawyers stating that Nobu faced a $3 million loss in April and $1.9 million in May. They also mentioned that De Niro would be “lucky if he makes $7.5 million” in 2020.

Grace’s legal team argued that Robert:

“exploited the COVID pandemic… to financially harm his wife. It’s hard to believe that a man with a declared worth of $500 million and an annual income of $30 million suddenly in March needed to halve [spousal support] and bar her from their home.“

The judge in the case ultimately deemed the reduction of the Amex allowance to $50,000 as reasonable but also mandated that Robert pay Grace $75,000 to assist her in locating a summer residence since Robert is currently residing in their former primary home.

Personal Life

Robert De Niro’s first marriage in 1976 was to actress and singer Diahnne Abbott. Together, they welcomed a son, Raphael De Niro, born the same year, who later embarked on a career in real estate. Additionally, De Niro adopted Abbott’s daughter from a prior relationship, Drena De Niro, who pursued careers in acting and modeling. Sadly, the couple’s marriage concluded in 1988, leading them on separate paths.

While

While still married to Abbott, De Niro had a significant relationship with former model Toukie Smith. This partnership led to the birth of twin sons, Julian Henry and Aaron Kendrick De Niro, who were brought into the world through in vitro fertilization via a surrogate mother in 1995.

In 1997, he took a step further by marrying his second wife, Grace Hightower, who is known as an actress, singer, and philanthropist. Their family grew in 1998, when they welcomed their son, Elliot De Niro. However, their marriage faced challenges, and they nearly divorced in 1999, yet they succeeded in reconciling and reaffirming their commitment. In 2011, the family expanded once more with the arrival of their daughter, Helen Grace De Niro, also born through a surrogate. Unfortunately, De Niro and Hightower parted ways again in 2018 and finalized their divorce by 2021.

May 2023 saw Robert welcome a seventh child at the age of 79.

Real Estate

In 2006, Robert and Grace invested $20.9 million in a 6,000-square-foot apartment located in New York City, previously owned by Harvey Weinstein. As part of their divorce settlement, Grace was apparently granted ownership of this apartment, which she listed as the sole owner in April 2024 at an asking price of $20 million.