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Al Pacino’s favourite Robert De Niro movies: “The one that dominates”
Al Pacino and Robert De Niro established themselves as peers in Hollywood during the 1970s, each delivering iconic performances that reshaped the industry's understanding of leading roles. Despite their proximity in the industry and friendship dating back to 1968, the two Italian-American actors from New York did not share screen time until their collaboration in Michael Mann's 'Heat' in 1995. This rarity created an unusual dynamic in which audiences compared their careers from a distance for decades, lending particular significance to their eventual on-screen meetings.
When promoting Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman,' their third collaboration, Pacino publicly identified 'Raging Bull' as De Niro's finest work, acknowledging 'Taxi Driver' as another masterpiece. The actor's selections highlighted two performances—Jake LaMotta and Travis Bickle—that define De Niro's career and demonstrate his capacity for transformative character work. Such praise between the two performers carried authentic weight, emerging from informed artistic judgement rather than promotional necessity.
In short
- Al Pacino selected 'Raging Bull' as his favourite Robert De Niro film whilst promoting their collaboration in 'The Irishman'
- The two actors met in 1968 and rose to prominence in parallel during the 1970s but rarely appeared together on screen until 1995
- Their infrequent collaborations transformed each project into a cultural event, with mutual professional respect evident in their public admiration
Explained simply
Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are American actors who rose to prominence in the 1970s. They were friends from 1968, but did not appear together on screen until the crime film Heat, released in 1995.
De Niro is known for taking on demanding roles in films including Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, both directed by Martin Scorsese. In Raging Bull, he played boxer Jake LaMotta; in Taxi Driver, he played troubled Vietnam veteran Travis Bickle.
Pacino and De Niro later worked together again, including in The Irishman. Pacino’s view of De Niro’s performances draws attention to two films often associated with the actor’s career.