Robert De Niro on Acting at 83, Three Years After the Birth of His Seventh Child
Robert De Niro may be 83, but the legendary actor shows no signs of slowing down. With The Whisper Man now streaming on Netflix and Focker-in-Law due later this year, De Niro continues to balance a busy acting career with life as a father of seven.
His youngest child was born just three years ago, when De Niro was 79. In a new interview, the Taxi Driver and Killers of the Flower Moon star discussed the challenge of managing parenthood alongside his demanding career.
De Niro’s oldest child is 54, while his other six children are 49, 30, 30, 28, 14, and three. Speaking to People, he was asked how he balances fatherhood and acting.
De Niro answered frankly, saying: “I don’t know if there is a secret.“It’s just managing it all. And there’s no way around not feeling a little guilty about not being there at times you should or you think you should.”
He described parenting his youngest child as a ‘new experience’, adding: “You just jump in and you have the child and you got to… That’s it.”
Although many actors reduce their workload in their 80s, De Niro has said he has no plans to retire. Speaking to Esquire about continuing to act, he said: “I might like to do things that are more retiring. Like sit in a place and just look at the view. Take a nice walk. Have a coffee. But not retire. As long as I’m enjoying what I’m doing, why retire?”
What is The Whisper Man about?
The Whisper Man centers on a grieving father, played by Adam Scott, whose son is abducted. He seeks help from his own father, a retired police detective, and together they uncover a connection to a decades-old serial killer case involving the Whisper Man.
The Netflix thriller features an all-star cast that also includes Michael Keaton, Michelle Monaghan, and Hamish Linklater, although De Niro remains its biggest name.
The Whisper Man reviews and Rotten Tomatoes score
The Whisper Man was released on Netflix today and has received a mixed response from viewers and critics. The film debuted with a 57% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
One review from Slate strongly criticized the movie, questioning how it was made and describing De Niro’s performance as ‘phoned in’.
Variety offered a more positive assessment, writing: “If De Niro never seems overly at pains to inhabit the character of Jersey cop with a cross to bear, his crumpled autopilot paternalism is still a warm asset to the film.”
The LA Times gave the film the most positive review among major outlets, saying Scott is ‘on fire’ and adding: “De Niro, who can convey emotional volumes with raised palm and a tightly closed mouth, gives him plenty of room to work.”
The Whisper Man is available to watch on Netflix now.
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