Robert De Niro has won widespread acclaim for more than a half-century of performances on the silver screen, including portraying military veterans.
Did Robert De Niro serve in the military?
Robert De Niro did not serve in the military. De Niro’s military roles on screen have been reflective of his political views. “The Deer Hunter”, in particular.
De Niro’s character, Michael Vronsky, volunteers to fight in Vietnam out of a sense of patriotic duty but is permanently affected by his traumatic experiences during the war.
Perhaps in an attempt to avoid controversy after the film’s release, its makers and marketers tried to strongly convey that the film was not politically motivated. Instead, the intention was to show the effects of war on the individual, rather than questioning its justification.
De Niro studied acting at HB Studio, Stella Adler Conservatory, and Lee Strasberg’s Actors Studio. His first collaboration with Scorsese was with the 1973 film Mean Streets. De Niro earned two Academy Awards.
