Quote of the day by Robert De Niro

Quote of the day by Robert De Niro: 'As an actor who's starting out, you can't say, Hey, I'm too good for this,'  a powerful life lesson on starting small and staying open to all ideas and opportunities(Image Credit: Still from 2015 film The Intern)

Sometimes, without giving it a second thought, a person at the beginning of his journey finds several opportunities beneath him. Maybe the role is too small. Maybe the project is not exactly what you wanted.

Maybe you think you should already be getting bigger opportunities. Robert De Niro has a very different take on that.Long before he became one of Hollywood's most recognisable actors, Robert De Niro was also a young actor trying to get noticed. He took small roles, showed up for auditions and worked his way through the industry. Looking back, he understood that even the jobs that seemed insignificant could eventually lead somewhere.Robert De Niro spoke about this during his November 1993 interview with Interview magazine. The magazine brought those conversations back in 2021 in its 'Life Lessons from Robert De Niro' feature, and one particular piece of advice still feels relevant for anyone trying to build a career.Today's quote of the day by Robert De Niro reads: 'As an actor who’s starting out, you can’t say, ‘Hey, I’m too good for this.’ You gotta do it because people see you, your name gets around, and it has a cumulative effect.'

That last part is probably the key. Sometimes, one opportunity does not look like much on its own. But it can lead to another one, and then another.

What does Robert De Niro's quote mean?

Robert De Niro is basically talking about starting from wherever you can. When you are new to an industry, you do not always get to choose the perfect opportunity. You might have to take the smaller part, do the less glamorous job or accept work that is simply going to get your name out there.And that does not mean accepting everything blindly. It is more about not dismissing something just because it is not big enough for you yet.Robert De Niro's own story makes the point pretty well. His early career was made up of smaller film and theatre roles before he became the actor audiences know today.The idea of a “cumulative effect” is also important. People notice you. They remember your work. Someone you worked with on one small project might recommend you for something bigger years later.

That is how careers can slowly build.

How is Robert De Niro's quote relevant today?

The pressure to have a successful career immediately is probably stronger than ever. Social media makes it look like everyone is moving ahead at the same time. One person gets a huge internship, another lands a major job, and someone else seems to have their entire career figured out before they have even graduated.But most careers do not actually work that neatly. Sometimes you have to start with the small assignment, the internship nobody knows about, the freelance project or the job that is not exactly what you imagined yourself doing.The work may not make you famous overnight. It may not even feel important at first. But it gives you experience, contacts and something else that De Niro understood well — people get to know your name.

Early life of Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro was born on August 17, 1943, in New York City and grew up in Manhattan's Greenwich Village and Little Italy. He became interested in acting when he was young and eventually studied at acting schools including the Stella Adler Conservatory and the Actors Studio.His first years as an actor were not filled with major Hollywood roles. He worked his way through smaller parts and gradually built a reputation in New York's acting scene.One of the early films that became important to his career was Brian De Palma's 'The Wedding Party', which was made in the 1960s but released later. He also appeared in 'Greetings' and 'Hi, Mom!' before getting the role that changed everything.

How did Robert De Niro rise to fame?

Robert De Niro's breakthrough came with Martin Scorsese's 'Mean Streets' in 1973, where he played Johnny Boy.

Interestingly, this was just the beginning of one of Hollywood’s most famous actor-director partnerships.He then played Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II (1974), for which he received his first Academy Award. More major roles followed in films such as 'Taxi Driver', 'Raging Bull', 'The Deer Hunter' and 'Goodfellas'.But looking back at those early years, De Niro's advice is not really about becoming a star.It is about being willing to start somewhere.The small job may not feel like the big break. The role may not be the one you dreamed about. But as De Niro put it, people see you, your name gets around, and it all has a cumulative effect. Sometimes, that is how a career is built, one opportunity at a time.