Robert De Niro has reflected on his unexpected journey with one of his most iconic films, acknowledging that he never anticipated its lasting legacy. After achieving stardom with his Oscar-winning role in The Godfather Part II (1974), the 82-year-old actor continued to solidify his reputation with Martin Scorsese’s 1976 film Taxi Driver. The crime noir, which follows De Niro’s character Travis Bickle, a disturbed insomniac who becomes a New York City cab driver and attempts to rescue 12-year-old prostitute Iris (played by Jodie Foster), earned him his second acting Oscar nomination.
Despite this critical acclaim, De Niro recently admitted that he never expected the film to achieve such enduring success. During an interview with Page Six ahead of the 25th edition of the Tribeca Film Festival — which he co-founded with producer Jane Rosenthal — he shared his thoughts on the unpredictable nature of filmmaking. “You never can think that you’re doing something that’s going to have an impact,” he said. He explained that he doesn’t approach projects with the expectation of success, noting that it is ultimately “out of your control.”
In February, Taxi Driver celebrated its 50th anniversary. Following its 1976 release, the film received four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. However, both Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader were overlooked for Best Original Screenplay and Best Director, with the top prize going to John G. Avildsen’s Rocky. Speaking to Deadline earlier this month, Schrader, known for directing American Gigolo, expressed no surprise at the film’s lack of awards.
“I wasn’t a bit thrown that Taxi Driver did not win,” Schrader said. “If you look at that category of Original Screenplay, it probably was the most original screenplay of that year, but it was just too controversial.” He added that Columbia Pictures had initially underestimated the film’s potential, stating that they had “written it off as an outlier” and failed to invest in marketing.
Despite these early doubts, Taxi Driver became a critical and commercial success, grossing $27.6 million worldwide. Schrader recalled how the script was initially met with skepticism. “It was one of those scripts that banged around town where everybody said someone else should make it,” he said. “But not us.”
The film also played a pivotal role in launching Jodie Foster’s career. At just 12 years old, she starred opposite De Niro, and later reflected on their collaboration. During the 2025 Marrakech Film Festival, Foster praised De Niro as “one of our greatest American actors” and shared her initial impressions of working with him.
“At that time, he was very much in character, the way he was in those days,” she recalled. “So he was really uninteresting and I remember having these lunches with him and being like, ‘What is happening? When can I go home?’”
However, their relationship evolved when De Niro shared insights into his method-acting process. “He finally walked me through improvisation by the time we had our third lunch together, and it opened my eyes to what acting could be,” Foster said. “And I realized at 12, ‘Oh, it’s my fault because I haven’t brought enough to the table.’ I’ve just been saying lines and waiting for my next line and acting naturally, but building a character is something different.”
De Niro’s performance in Taxi Driver remains one of the most iconic in cinematic history. His portrayal of Travis Bickle has influenced generations of actors and filmmakers, cementing the film’s place as a cultural milestone. The movie’s success, despite initial industry skepticism, highlights the unpredictable nature of artistic achievement and the lasting impact of bold storytelling.
