Robert De Niro Says His Fame Can Have ‘Negative Impact’ on His Kids Acting: ‘Most Important Thing Is to Work Hard’ (Exclusive)

Rebecca AizinSat, August 29, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC

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Drena De Niro, Robert De Niro and Julian De Niro in November 2025Credit: Drena De Niro/Instagram -

Robert De Niro tells PEOPLE in a new interview he supports his children who have pursued acting while noting, “it’s a commitment”

He acknowledges his success adds pressure on his kids to prove themselves in Hollywood

De Niro currently stars alongside Adam Scott in Netflix’s The Whisper Man, now streaming

Robert De Niro supports his kids following him into the entertainment industry, while noting the “most important thing” is hard work.

The Goodfellas actor, 83, stars as the estranged father of Adam Scott‘s character Tom in their new Netflix movie The Whisper Man, streaming now. In the film, Tom has a subconscious desire to be like his father — something both actors have experienced as their children have expressed interest in going into acting.

So how does De Niro feel when his children have followed in his footsteps? “I’m okay with it, it’s just not as easy as you would think,” he tells PEOPLE.

He adds that there are realities to becoming an actor, no matter the era. “I mean, I remember when I was younger, there were less opportunities,” he says. “There’s one or two or three independent films, then the studio films, plays off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway. There wasn’t that much. And now, there’s so much more, it seems, but it still is just as difficult for people to get jobs as actors as is.”

Robert De Niro spends time with daughter Drena and son Julian at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2023.Credit: Drena De Niro/Instagram

De Niro has seven children — Drena, 54, Raphael, 49, Julian, 30, Airyn, 30, Elliot, 28, Helen, 14, and Gia, 3 — some of whom have pursued acting. Drena has over 45 credits, including 2018’s A Star Is Born and 2015’s Joy, while Julian starred in 2016’s In Dubious Battle and played a young Barack Obama in 2022’s TV series The First Lady.

The two-time Oscar winner noted that his children can face added pressure to prove themselves following his own success in the industry.

“It’s a commitment. And you have to show, especially if you’re a kid in a situation like mine or Adam [Scott], people, no matter what [the kids] say, how they behave, what they do, they’re saying, ‘Show me,’ ” he says. “And if you don’t look like you’re really sincere about it and busting your ass and working hard, it’ll have a negative impact. If you really can, over time, cumulatively impress people that you really are sincere about it and will go the distance, then it’ll work the other way 10 times.”

He continues, “The most important thing is to work hard because you really want to do it.”

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“And you really are committed. It’s not easy. ... It’s hard, and you have to work hard to get somewhere. And even then, there’s no guarantee.”

Scott, 53, adds that he thinks back to his own start in the industry and early struggles when his daughter Frankie, who is entering her senior year of high school, expresses interest in pursuing the craft.

Adam Scott and Frankie Scott attend the Special Launch Event for Marvel Television’s ‘Agatha All Along’ at El Capitan Theatre on Sept. 16, 2024Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

“The one thing I think about when I think about my daughter wanting to pursue acting is I just immediately go to the years I had that were really tough of sitting in my gross little apartment waiting for an audition,” he says. “I started out doing background work for a while, and it was really hard.”

The Severance actor echos De Niro’s sentiments, adding that having a parent in the industry doesn’t guarantee success.

“It was hard for years, whether or not you have a leg up in show business, like Bob said, it really isn’t that much of a leg up,” he says. “You have to prove yourself tenfold because there are going to be more eyes on you potentially.”

Adam Scott as Tom Kennedy and Robert De Niro as Peter Willis in ‘The Whisper Man’Credit: David Lee/Netflix

De Niro and Scott costar alongside Michelle Monaghan, Hamish Linklater, Michael Keaton, Owen Teague and Acston Luca Porto in The Whisper Man, which follows a widowed crime writer who enlists the help of his retired detective dad when his 8-year-old son is abducted.

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The Whisper Man is now streaming on Netflix.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”