Robert De Niro net worth is estimated at $500 million by Celebrity Net Worth. That figure comes from public salary reports, business stakes and property records. No auditor has ever seen his full accounts, so every published figure is an estimate.
His money did not arrive in one big cheque. It grew across six decades, with films doing the early work. Nobu then turned a famous actor into a hospitality owner.
This profile traces the climb from a $50 film fee to a half billion fortune. It covers the pay ladder, the Nobu empire and the court case that priced it all. Every figure below is an estimate, never a confirmed bank balance.
At a Glance
- His fortune is estimated at $500 million, and he is not a billionaire.
- Nobu, not films alone, now powers much of the wealth.
- His biggest film paydays reached $20 million per film.
- A 2019 court case priced his 2004 to 2018 earnings at $250 million to $300 million.
Who Is Robert De Niro?
Robert Anthony De Niro was born on 17 August 1943 in New York City. His mother, Virginia Admiral, worked as a painter and poet. His father, Robert De Niro Sr., painted abstract art and sculpted. His mother raised him in Greenwich Village and Little Italy.
He made his stage debut at age 10 as the Cowardly Lion in a school play. He left formal school at 16 to act full time. He trained at the Stella Adler Conservatory and later at the Actors Studio. That hard preparation became his trademark.
His first film was The Wedding Party, shot in the early 1960s and released in 1969. He earned just $50 for the part. Bang the Drum Slowly brought notice in 1973, and Mean Streets followed the same year. The Godfather Part II then made him a star in 1974.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Anthony De Niro |
| Born | 17 August 1943 |
| Birthplace | New York City, United States |
| Age | 83 |
| Occupation | Actor, producer, director and entrepreneur |
| Years active | 1963 to present |
| Companies | Nobu Hospitality, Tribeca Enterprises, Wildflower Studios |
| Known for | The Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas |
| Estimated net worth | $500 million (Celebrity Net Worth estimate) |
| Main income sources | Film salaries, Nobu, producing and property |
Robert De Niro Net Worth: What the $500 Million Estimate Covers
The robert de niro net worth figure rests on reported pay, not private records. Celebrity Net Worth builds it from film salaries, backend shares and property. It also weighs his stakes in Nobu, Tribeca and Wildflower Studios. The tracker updated its page in September 2026, with a snapshot dated 5 November 2026.
Other outlets print the same $500 million figure. Parade, Wealthy Gorilla and several trackers all land on it. The $500 million headline stays firm, level with the George Clooney fortune. No credible outlet puts him near a billion.
Taxes, agent fees and spending explain why kept wealth trails career pay. The salaries listed on his profile alone add up to more than $130 million. That gap is normal for stars with backend deals and private firms.
How Robert De Niro Makes His Money
Five income streams built this fortune across six decades. Acting salaries came first and stayed large throughout. Business income then grew into the largest share. Property and producing fees added a third layer.
- Upfront film salaries, recently up to $20 million per film
- Backend shares of box office takings on hit films
- Producer fees and profit shares on films he helps make
- Nobu restaurants, hotels and branded homes around the world
- Tribeca Festival income, the Greenwich Hotel and Wildflower Studios
- New York property, held for decades in prime spots
The mix matters more than any single salary. A normal star keeps only the upfront fee. De Niro kept a share of the success itself. That choice separates $500 million from $50 million.
From a $50 Fee to $20 Million Films
His pay ladder shows how slowly the money started. Early roles paid thousands, not millions. Taxi Driver paid about $35,000 in 1976. The comedy boom of the late 1990s then changed the scale.
- The Wedding Party (1969): $50
- Taxi Driver (1976): about $35,000
- Sleepers (1996): $6 million
- Ronin (1998): $14 million
- Analyze This (1999): $8 million
- Meet the Parents (2000): $13.5 million
- Analyze That (2002): $20 million
- Meet the Fockers (2004): $20 million
- Little Fockers (2010): $20 million
The ladder also shows a sharp turn toward comedy. His drama years paid well, but the comedies paid best. Meet the Parents earned more than $330 million worldwide. The three films together passed $1 billion at the global box office.
Nobu: The Restaurant Empire Behind the Fortune
Nobu is the largest single engine of his wealth after films. He co-founded it with chef Nobu Matsuhisa and producer Meir Teper. The first Nobu opened in Tribeca in 1994. Today the group spans about 50 restaurants, 40 hotels and two home developments.
The story began in a Los Angeles sushi bar in the late 1980s. De Niro ate at Matsuhisa and became a regular. He asked the chef to open a New York restaurant with him. Matsuhisa first said no, then agreed four years later.
A 2024 stake sale put a price on the whole group. Nobu Hospitality was valued at about $1.3 billion after a 20 per cent stake changed hands. De Niro’s exact share has never been made public.
Tribeca, Hotels and Wildflower Studios
De Niro has invested in Lower Manhattan for decades. He co-founded Tribeca Productions with producer Jane Rosenthal. He also became a partner in the Tribeca Grill restaurant. The neighbourhood, not Hollywood, became his business base.
After the September 11 attacks, he helped found the Tribeca Film Festival in 2001. He built it with Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff to revive Lower Manhattan. The event now covers film, television, music and games as the Tribeca Festival. It marked its 25th anniversary in 2026.
He co-owns the Greenwich Hotel, a luxury property with about 88 rooms and suites. He also backs Wildflower Studios, a huge vertical film complex in Queens. The studio opened in late 2024 with 11 soundstages.
The Divorce Case That Put Numbers on Record
His split from Grace Hightower gave the public a rare look at his money. Her lawyers claimed in 2019 that he was worth at least $500 million. They also put his 2004 to 2018 earnings at $250 million to $300 million. Those court claims anchor the $500 million estimate today.
The couple had signed a prenuptial agreement in 2004. Hightower argued she should share half the earnings and assets. A New York appeals court rejected that claim in 2021. His acting income and business assets stayed his separate property.
The case also showed how fast the money could shrink. His lawyers said Nobu lost about $3 million in April 2020 and $1.9 million in May. They said he might earn only about $7.5 million that year. The pandemic hit restaurants and hotels first.
Homes and Property in New York
De Niro’s property sits mostly in New York, his home city. He owns a large estate in Gardiner, New York, covering more than 100 acres. He also holds property in the Hamptons.
The best known deal was a Central Park West duplex. He and Hightower paid $20.9 million for it in 2006. A fire damaged the flat badly in 2012. Hightower later became its sole owner and sold it for $18 million in March 2025.
Robert De Niro or Tom Cruise: Who Is Richer?
Tom Cruise sits ahead of De Niro on the same tracker. Celebrity Net Worth estimates Cruise at $600 million. The gap between robert de niro net worth and Cruise’s figure is about $100 million. Both men built their fortunes on backend deals and producing.
Cruise takes first-dollar gross on his biggest hits, which pays fast. De Niro’s wealth leans more on business stakes that pay over time. For now, Cruise holds the lead by about $100 million.
De Niro sits tied ninth among actors on the tracker, level with Ryan Seacrest. Cruise sits tied sixth at $600 million. Mel Gibson trails both at $425 million in sixteenth place.
Still Working at 83
De Niro shows no sign of slowing down at 83. He took his first starring television role in 2025, playing a former president in Zero Day. In August 2026 he returned to Netflix in the thriller The Whisper Man.
His latest films show the same range. Killers of the Flower Moon brought his eighth Oscar acting nomination in 2023. The Alto Knights cast him as two rival Mafia bosses in 2025. Celebrity Net Worth carries his full profile, with the salary table behind every figure here.
Robert De Niro net worth rests on a simple habit. He never sold his work for one fixed fee. He kept a share of almost every success. Read more fortunes in our Celebrity Net Worth archive, and see the Keanu Reeves fortune.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Robert De Niro’s net worth?
Celebrity Net Worth estimates robert de niro net worth at $500 million. Its page was updated in September 2026, with a snapshot dated 5 November 2026. The figure is an estimate from public sources. No audited account of his wealth exists.
How much is Robert De Niro worth in 2026?
His fortune is estimated at $500 million in 2026. The same figure has held for several years now. Films built the base, and Nobu added the scale. Court claims from 2019 back the headline figure.
How much did Robert De Niro make from Meet the Parents?
He earned a reported $13.5 million for Meet the Parents in 2000. The film grossed more than $330 million worldwide. He also produced the film, so backend cash followed. The two sequels each paid him $20 million.
How does Robert De Niro make money from Nobu?
He co-founded Nobu with chef Nobu Matsuhisa and producer Meir Teper. The first restaurant opened in Tribeca in 1994. The group now spans about 50 restaurants and 40 hotels. A 2024 stake sale valued it at about $1.3 billion.
How old is Robert De Niro?
He was born on 17 August 1943 in New York City. That makes him 83 years old in November 2026. His first film reached screens in 1969. His screen career now spans more than six decades.
Is Robert De Niro a billionaire?
No, not on the published estimates available today. His fortune is estimated at $500 million, well below a billion. Tom Cruise sits ahead of him at $600 million. Earnings and wealth kept are two different things.