Only a few actors have gone to greater lengths for a role than Robert De Niro. The Hollywood legend didn’t just transform his body or learn new skills; he literally ruined his own teeth. It cost a cool $5K to wreck them, then another $20K to fix them.
De Niro went all in for Cape Fear (1991), grinding his teeth down for $5K to perfect Max Cady’s menacing look – then dropping $20K to fix them afterward. That’s dedication but also a costly smile transformation. The transformation didn’t stop at his teeth. De Niro bulked up, hitting the gym to sculpt a terrifyingly muscular frame. He also covered himself in fake tattoos, adding to Cady’s menacing presence. The result? A performance so intense it earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
This wasn’t the first time Robert De Niro went all-out for a role. He famously drove a cab for months to prepare for Taxi Driver (1976) and gained 60 pounds to play Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980). His Cape Fear commitment only solidified his status as one of Hollywood’s most fearless actors. But it’s not just his on-screen intensity that sets him apart. Former co-star Sharon Stone praised Robert De Niro’s professionalism, setting him apart from other Hollywood heavyweights.
Speaking to Variety, she said (via Virgin Radio UK), “I’ve worked with some of the biggest stars in the business, who will literally talk through my close-up, telling me what they think I should do. They’re so misogynistic—now, that is not Robert De Niro. That is not Joe Pesci, that is not those guys.”
Stone called out actors who refused to engage with their scene partners, adding, “They just will not listen to me, and will not allow me to affect their performance with my performance. I get that you’re great and everybody thinks you’re wonderful. But listening, being present for those fractured moments, is really the human experience.”
De Niro hasn’t slowed down despite decades of iconic roles behind him. The Oscar winner recently stepped into the world of television, starring in and executive producing Netflix’s upcoming political thriller Zero Day. A legend on the big screen, he’s now set to make waves on the small screen, too. From ruining his teeth for Cape Fear to redefining method acting, Robert De Niro has always gone to extremes for his craft. And judging by his track record, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
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