An Emotional Robert De Niro Gives Touching Tribute To His Dad (Video)

When we think of Robert De Niro, we think of the rough and tough characters he’s played in numerous films. But De Niro reveals a totally different side of himself when he speaks of his father, Robert De Niro, Sr.

According to News 92 FM, “De Niro, Sr., was an artist, creating works of figurative painting in the style of Matisse.” After his dad passed away from cancer in 2003, De Niro decided to learn more about his father’s life and work. Robert tells OUT that he and his father didn’t have the type of father/son relationship where they would play baseball together, but they had a connection.

De Niro also tells OUT that his dad was not a bad father, that he was very loving and “he adored me,” De Niro admitted.

Robert has preserved his father’s art studio in the same manner as his dad left it. OUT reports that there are paintbrushes and books all around, paintings, and some canvases that were never finished. “It looks like pop stepped away for a coffee and should be back to finish another still life before dinner.”

De Niro can’t help but get emotional and tear up as he talks about reading his dad’s diaries. De Niro reveals intimate thoughts and feelings on how his dad had struggled with his sexuality and stagnant career as an artist.

News 92 FM reveals Robert De Niro, Jr. confessing after reading his dad’s earlier diaries, “He probably was conflicted about his homosexuality, being from that generation,” De Niro, Jr. states. “Especially from a small town upstate. I was not aware, much, of it. I wish we had spoken about it much more. My mother didn’t want to talk about things in general, and you’re not interested when you’re a certain age.”

Now more than twenty years after his father’s death, Robert De Niro has created a documentary in his dad’s honor called Remembering The Artist: Robert De Niro, Sr. which will air June 9 on HBO. OUT describes the film as a “moving portrait of a son who wants to resurrect his father’s legacy before it’s too late.”

There is no doubt that this will be one of Robert De Niro’s most prominent films, showing the raw emotions of a son who obviously adores his dad as much as he adored his son. Thank you for sharing with us all, Robert De Niro.

Photo Credit: StarTimes.com