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Robert De Niro is undoubtedly one of the most prolific actors in Hollywood with his illustrious career that dates back to the ‘70s. He has already worked with veteran filmmaker Martin Scorsese on a couple of projects, and fans saw the pair collaborate again in 2023’sKillers of the Flower Moon.
One of De Niro’s most important works, the 1976 neo-noir psychological thrillerTaxi Driverhelmed by Scorsese, only paid the actor a measly amount that was far below his salary worth.
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Robert De Niro Received A Meager Pay For His Outstanding Work OnTaxi Driver
Robert De Nirojust won an Oscar for his performance in Francis Ford Coppola’sThe Godfather Part IIin 1975. Because of this victory, the actor has finally commanded a salary of $500,000 per movie.
Martin Scorseseand De Niro worked onTaxi Driverunder budget constraints despite the filmmaker’s previous works emerging successful at the box office. They were only given $1.9 million for production costs, forcing De Niro and co-star Cybill Shepherd to accept $35,000 each for their salaries.
De Niro played Travis Bickle, a Vietnam veteran living in Manhattan who struggles with insomnia and post-traumatic stress. His coping mechanism was to frequent p*rn theaters and work as an off-hours cab driver.
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The actor accepted the job despite the massive pay cut because he was very passionate about the character in the film. De Niro even drove a taxi around New York to get himself used to the feeling. He also studied Midwest soldiers’ accents.
Taxi Driverproved to be a fundamental project for De Niro. The movie has been a favorite amongst film teachers because of the eclectic range of inspirations Scorsese took influence from, demonstrating the culmination of decades worth of cinema.
It also received four nominations at the 49th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.
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Robert De Niro Wants To Star InTaxi DriverSequel
Robert De Niro has expressed interest in aTaxi Driversequel in his interview viaThe Guardian. Interestingly, they had a plan that did not get off the ground:
“Well, I had that idea. I said, why don’t we write something? And I talked to Marty and Paul did take a shot at something, whether it was an outline or a script, I forget. But somehow we didn’t feel it was right, and it didn’t take off.”
It is evident that the character has left a mark on the actor, which explains his fervent desire to go back and see what’s happening to him at this age.
“But I’d like to see where Travis is today. There was something about the guy – all that rage and alienation, that’s what the city can do to you. I mean, Marty and I are from New York, and even we can feel alienated.”
Despite De Niro only receiving a meager pay check for his role inTaxi Driver, the movie has become a classic cult favorite, leaving a tremendous influence in the field of cinema that will surely go down in history.
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Ariane Cruz
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3533
Ariane Cruz is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 3,000 articles published. Her love for pop culture and the creative arts fuels her passion to deliver engaging and informative stories. Her daily consumption of films, shows, and books keeps her energized for the day, along with her mission to serve as the bridge between fans and their favorite franchises.
