The Fan

De Niro has enjoyed a long and successful working relationship with Martin Scorsese, including the films Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, New York, New York, King Of Comedy, Goodfellas, Cape Fear and Casino (pictured).

De Niro has often gone to great lengths to research roles, including gaining weight for Raging Bull and for 1987 film The Untouchables, where he played gangster Al Capone.

Fearing he had become typecast in gangster roles De Niro branched out into wider comedic roles, including the very successful trilogy of Meet The Parents films, opposite Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller.

De Niro took a small role in the Quentin Tarantino 1997 crime caper Jackie Brown, playing small time gangster Louis Gara opposite Samuel L. Jackson.

De Niro again teamed up with director Martin Scorcese in the acclaimed 1990 mob biopic Goodfellas to play gangster Jimmy 'The Gent' Conway.

De Niro played mercenary and slaver Rodrigo Mendoza in 18th century S. America in the British drama, The Mission in 1986.

In Raging Bull, again directed by Martin Scorcese, De Niro played boxer Jake LaMotta, whose rage, sexual jealousy, and animalistic appetite destroyed his relationship with family and friends.

De Niro played Michael Vronsky in the acclaimed Vietnam War film The Deer Hunter for which he was Oscar nominated for Best Actor.

In 1976 De Niro renewed his working relationship with director Martin Scorcese in the controversial film, Taxi Driver.

De Niro had a pivotal role in Francis Ford Coppola's 1974 epic, The Godfather, playing the young Vito Corleone. His performance earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.