De Niro's work honoured
Actor Robert De Niro is to be awarded the American Film Institute’s prestigious Life Achievement Award.
The star has earned two Oscars for his roles as the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II and the fighter Jake La Motta in Raging Bull.
Howard Stringer, chair of the AFI Board of Trustees, announced that De Niro has been selected to receive the AFI’s 31st Life Achievement Award which will be presented to him at a tribute next June 12.
“Robert De Niro is one of the greatest actors of his generation,” Stringer said. “In a career that includes over 60 motion pictures, De Niro’s sense of commitment to the character – both mentally and physically – has changed the way we look at an actor’s contribution to the art form.”
De Niro, whose films include Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, Cape Fear and Casino, next stars with Lisa Kudrow and Billy Crystal in Analyze That.
Through his company Tribeca Productions, De Niro has worked as a producer on several movies including Wag the Dog, Analyze This and Meet the Parents.
The lifetime award, according to AFI, is given annually to a filmmaker: “whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.”
