History of the friendship between Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep shows that generosity also has a place in Hollywood

When we think of names of big Hollywood stars, Robert De Niro is certainly one of the first that comes to mind. The actor has already represented different characters that have become classics around the world, but it was with his great charisma that he managed to find a captive place in the hearts of fans. A great witness to this has been the also acclaimed actress Meryl Streep, one of the first to feel De Niro’s generosity firsthand.

With this article, the awesome.club tells about the actor’s extensive trajectory and reveals the great gesture of kindness that Meryl Streep will never forget.

De Niro was born in 1943 in New York City. Son of artistic parents, we can say that he came into the world with creativity in his blood. The future star studied performing arts at a conservatory, but at age 16 he decided to drop everything to start working in small productions on Broadway. Even in this context, his talent was undeniable, which led him to get small roles in films, always representing violent characters or villains.

At one point, he got the chance to work with director Martin Scorsese on the movie Into Danger. That role was crucial for De Niro’s career, as it was thanks to him that director Francis Ford Coppola realized all the talent present in the actor. And so, De Niro received a proposal to work on The Godfather 2, the second part of the classic plot. With the role, he won his first Oscar. In such a way, his career evolved to the point where he became that grumpy old man that we all love to see in more current productions.

Despite having an enviable resume and having his talent recognized worldwide, the actor never left aside the person he was before being raised to fame. For the star, no one should take for granted the opportunities presented by life. “You have to be careful with fame, because it is very fleeting,” he said in an interview. “No one is indispensable. We must be smart about this. Just enjoy it, do your work and feel happy that you got where you are.”

The artist’s unique personality is certainly responsible for making big names in Hollywood care for him so much. This is what becomes clear when we look at the friendships built by the actor so far. Among them is Al Pacino, whose career developed at the same time as Robert’s; and with Robin Williams: between them a solid friendship started after Robin accidentally hurt De Niro’s nose during a recording. However, the relationship most remembered and cited by fans is usually maintained with Meryl Streep.

Meryl used to participate in small theater plays, this at the time she was dating John Cazale, a great actor who was part of the cast of The Godfather and with whom she was absolutely in love. However, the couple was experiencing financial problems, aggravated by the news that John was suffering from terminal cancer. They couldn’t afford the medical costs. At the time, an opportunity arose for them to act in the feature O Franco Atirador, with De Niro.

Unfortunately, in view of John’s diagnosis, the production team chose to fire him, given that the amount of health insurance would be too high. De Niro decided to avoid the situation, offering to pay the insurance out of his own pocket and threatening to leave the project if John was fired. In addition, he demanded that the scenes with Cazale be the first to be shot, giving his friend the chance to take care of his health as soon as possible. “He was sicker than we thought, but I wanted him in that movie,” stated De Niro.

That attitude touched the heart of the actress, leading to the birth of a great friendship between the two Oscar winners. Over the course of their careers, they’ve starred in three movies together and have already demonstrated, on camera, how much they respect and support each other. Definitely, on all these occasions, it was possible to feel the affection and care nurtured by each other, not least because a friendship like this is not easy to find.

The consideration between them is such that, before handing an award to Streep, De Niro said in his speech: “Meryl doesn’t seem to have any flaws. I say this with the greatest love I feel for you, Meryl. Love you very much”.

How did you meet that person who is now your best friend? Leave a comment with your story!