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Born in New York in 1943 to painters (as in artists, not decorators), De Niro caught the acting bug at 10 while playing the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz. Nicknamed Bobby Milk because of his complexion, he was so quiet as a young man, people thought he was autistic. He studied The Method with Lee Strasberg (who also taught Pacino) and worked off-Broadway before appearing in Brian De Palma's early films. Long-term collaborator and friend of Martin Scorsese, De Niro famously piled on 50lbs (over 3 stone) to play Jake "Raging Bull" LaMotta, for which he won an Oscar.
