The Godfather Part II (1974)
He lived in Sicily for three to four months, learning the local language and way of life.
◄ IMDb Polls
Poll: Robert De Niro's Insane Method Acting
Over the years Robert De Niro has build a reputation for himself for carrying out heavy research, almost to the point of obsession, in preparation for film roles
Which of the following movies do you feel he put in the most amount of effort for?
See also: Daniel Day Lewis' Insane Method Acting
Make Your Choice
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Taxi Driver (1976)
He got a cab licence and worked for fifteen hours a day for a month as a taxi driver in order to get into the right frame of mind. He also heavily studied mental illnesses. -
New York, New York (1977)
He learned to play the saxophone to authenticate his performance. -
The Deer Hunter (1978)
Insisted that a live round was put into the gun during the famous Russian roulette scene. (It was checked, however, to ensure the bullet would not be in the chamber when the trigger was pulled). -
Raging Bull (1980)
He gained a then-record of 60 pounds to play the older Jake LaMotta after having gone through intense physical training in order gain the muscle mass to play the younger LaMotta. He also trained as a boxer with the real Jake LaMotta (as many as one thousand rounds) and took place in three professional fights, winning two. -
Brazil (1985)
His need for obsessively researching for his relatively minor role was so frustrating to director Terry Gilliam that Gilliam “wanted to strangle him.” -
The Untouchables (1987)
He tracked down Al Capone’s original tailors and asked them to make him identical clothing for the film. He also insisted that he work the same style of silk underwear that Capone wore, even though these are never shown on screen. -
Midnight Run (1988)
He spend time with real life bounty hunters as part of his preparation. -
Goodfellas (1990)
He phoned Henry Hill several times a day in order to discuss aspects of his character, from his posture to how he holds his cigarette. -
Awakenings (1990)
He spent an extended amount of time in Sacks hospital observing patients in order to perfect his character’s disorder. -
Cape Fear (1991)
He took a tape recorder and extracts of the movie’s script to southern towns and asked locals to read lines so that he could perfect his accent. He also did intense physical training for the role, reportedly taking his body fat level down to 3% He paid a dentist $5000 to make his teeth look bad, and then paid $20,000 to have them repaired. -
Being Flynn (2012)
He spent nights on the streets to get the feel of a homeless man. His look was so authentic that he was denied permission into his own hotel.
