A striving perfectionist as a producer and an actor, Robert De Niro is second to none in his work ethic. This unique quality is what established himself as a well respected and iconic actor in history. A fellow New Yorker, Robert De Niro leaves a legacy of memorable screen actor performances of brilliant and timeless movies such as The Godfather Part II, Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, and Goodfellas. Due to his work ethic, in every movie he has stared in, his presence was felt, as the characters he portrayed were the heart and soul of the film, thus given him a vast amount of awards for his key performances. In the movie Taxi Driver, which was shot in New York City, Robert De Niro's performance also created the well known catch phrase "Are you talking to me?", which is well known in New York.
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Interesting pick. You gave an adequate amount of historical information, however I would have liked to see exactly what makes him a hero to you. Perhaps include something relating to your interest in movies/films, or something about him in particular which you think makes him a New York City hero.