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De Niro obtained a taxi driver's  license and drove a cab  around New York City to prepare  for his role in "Taxi Driver." 

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De Niro was granted honorary  Italian citizenship in 2004 for  his contributions to Italian  cinema and culture. 

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De Niro underwent intense  boxing training with the  real-life Jake LaMotta to prepare  for "Raging Bull" and even  fought in real matches. 

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De Niro considered having  his signature mole removed,  but Martin Scorsese  advised against it. 

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De Niro co-owns successful restaurants, including the  Nobu chain and Tribeca Grill. 

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De Niro turned down a role  in the first "Godfather" movie  but later starred in "The  Godfather Part II." 

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De Niro played Murray  Franklin in "Joker," a  character inspired by his  role in "Taxi Driver." 

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De Niro is a devoted  fan of the  New York Yankees. 

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De Niro is fluent in  Italian, a language  he learned while spending  time in Italy. 

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De Niro has an impressive  art collection that includes  works by Picasso, Warhol,  and Basquiat.