41 Classic Robert De Niro Quotes From His Best Movies

If you’re looking for someone who doesn’t back out of a challenge, then Robert De Niro is one of the few names that we would choose. He’s a genuine badass both on and off the screen.

His career spans more than 50 years and he’s considered to be one of the most genuine actors. He takes on the life of a new character in every movie, transforming himself vocally and mentally to take on their entire life. And in typical fashion, he often takes on the role of the mafia gangster.

If you’ve enjoyed his many movies of years gone by, then you’ll enjoy these incredible quotes to bring about some nostalgia.

1. You’ll have time to rest when you’re dead.

Robert De Niro

2. Sometimes if you have financial restraints, it’s a benefit. It forces you to come up with a more creative way.

Robert De Niro

3. Don’t be afraid to do what your instincts tell you.

Robert De Niro

4. Rejection might sting, but my feeling is that often, it has very little to do with you.

Robert De Niro

5. You learned the two greatest thing in life, never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut.

Robert De Niro

6. I always tell actors when they go in for an audition: Don’t be afraid to do what your instincts tell you. You may not get the part, but people will take notice.

Robert De Niro

7. If you’re an actor, always be true to your character. If you are not an actor, have character and always be true to yourself.

Robert De Niro

8. Money makes your life easier. If you’re lucky to have it, you’re lucky.

Robert De Niro

9. In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they lose, and in the end, we get it all.

Robert De Niro

10. The talent is in the choices.

Robert De Niro

11. I’ve never been one of those actors who has touted myself as a fascinating human being. I had to decide early on whether I was to be an actor or a personality.

Robert De Niro

12. You’re not responsible for the entire job, but your part in it… You will put your everything into everything you do.

Robert De Niro

13. The hardest thing about being famous is that people are always nice to you.

Robert De Niro

14. I got some bad ideas in my head.

Robert De Niro

15. I didn’t have a problem with rejection, because when you go into an audition, you’re rejected already. There are hundreds of other actors. You’re behind the eight ball when you go in there.

Robert De Niro

16. A guy told me one time, “Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.

Robert De Niro

17. It’s a very stressful thing, directing a movie. You have the budget, you have the schedule, you are in certain confines, and you have everybody giving you advice about what to do

Robert De Niro

18. There’s nothing more ironic or contradictory than life itself.

Robert De Niro

19. Everyone’s always interested in a dark theme, especially when there’s humor connected to it. It seems like that helps, if that’s an integral and organic part of the whole story.

Robert De Niro

20. One of the things about acting is it allows you to live other people’s lives without having to pay the price.

Robert De Niro

21. You discovered a talent, developed an ambition and recognized your passion. When you feel that, you can’t fight it — you just go with it.

Robert De Niro

22. I always wanted to direct. Directing is a lot more of a commitment though, a lot more time. I like directors who do very few takes, they know what they want.

Robert De Niro

23. In acting, I always try to go back to what would actually be the real situation, the real human behavior in life.

Robert De Niro

24. You always learn something about movies. Directing or acting, there’s always something new. It’s the technological thing; there’s always something to learn.

Robert De Niro

25. I love to find new people. It’s not for the sake of their being new; it’s because if you find someone who perfectly fits a part, that’s such a great thing.

Robert De Niro

26. Good directors can bring certain things out of you, with their intensity or gentleness or sensitivity or understanding. They can make an actor feel he can do no wrong.

Robert De Niro

27. With ‘Silver Linings,’ I didn’t feel – I was thinking of certain things, but I just said, ‘Let me go with it.’ You have to know what you’re doing, where you’re going with the scenes, and I put a lot of work into that. But when you’re out there, at the same time you gotta be ready for anything.

Robert De Niro

28. If you don’t go, you’ll never know.

Robert De Niro

29. Life rarely changes you totally but it consistently changes you in details.

Robert De Niro

30. If it’s the right chair, it doesn’t take too long to get comfortable in it.

Robert De Niro

31. I don’t feel pressure. I like if anybody has interest in what I have to say, especially if they’re younger. If they like me, respect me, I’m honoured and I’ll give them my opinion.

Robert De Niro

32. Being able to battle it out. No matter how you do it, you gotta hold your ground at times. Other times you’ve got to compromise. But never a compromise that you can’t live with.

Robert De Niro

33. I think it’s important to have had at least a few years of obscurity, where people treat you like everybody else.

Robert De Niro

34. When you love someone you gotta trust them, there’s no other way. You gotta give them the key to everything that’s yours. Otherwise, what’s the point?

Robert De Niro

35. It’s important not to indicate. People don’t try to show their feelings, they try to hide them.

Robert De Niro

36. I am also not one for regrets. I don’t regret any film I’ve made, because there was a reason for making it at the time. If it hasn’t worked out, then don’t spend time worrying about why and how. Just move on to the next project.

Robert De Niro

37. I don’t get into these long-winded heavy discussions about character – do we do this or that or what. At the end of the day, what you gotta do is just go out there and do it.

Robert De Niro

38. Movies are hard to make, and you have to work toward a common ethic and do your best. You don’t want to work with people who don’t care or who are acting out some neurotic, crazy thesis on the set.

Robert De Niro

39. I don’t like to watch my own movies – I fall asleep in my own movies.

Robert De Niro

40. Running a casino is like robbing a bank with no cops around. For guys like me, Las Vegas washes away your sins. It’s like a morality car wash

Robert De Niro

41. Time goes on. So whatever you’re going to do, do it. Do it now. Don’t wait.

Robert De Niro