Unveiling the Real Story: How Robert De Niro Faced Financial Turmoil

Despite his wealth, De Niro found himself financially stretched during the COVID-19 pandemic, which heavily impacted his investments in the hospitality sector. The actor, who is a co-founder of the luxury Nobu restaurant chain and The Greenwich Hotel, witnessed firsthand the economic strain as these ventures struggled amid global lockdowns. According to Page Six, Nobu alone reported losses nearing $5 million. De Niro, facing a $500,000 capital call, had to rely on a business associate for funds, as he didn’t have the necessary cash on hand.

These financial strains came to light partly due to De Niro’s contentious divorce from his second wife, Grace Hightower. The couple’s legal battles unveiled details of their extravagant lifestyle, including disputes over Hightower’s credit card limit, which De Niro attempted to reduce from $100,000 to $50,000 per month. Hightower’s legal team resisted this change, arguing for adherence to their prior agreement, while De Niro’s lawyers contended that his income had decreased since the agreement was made. They revealed that the actor was spending more than he was earning, with projections indicating he would be fortunate to make $7.5 million in 2020.

The legal wrangling resulted in a partial victory for De Niro, who was permitted to reduce Hightower’s credit card limit but was still required to provide an additional $75,000 for her summer housing. By April 2021, De Niro’s legal representatives argued that his financial commitments to Hightower were forcing him to continue working at an intense pace, despite his age. “Mr. De Niro is 77 years old, and while he loves his craft, he should not be forced to work at this prodigious pace because he has to,” his attorney stated in court, as reported by Page Six.

Robert De Niro’s messy divorce from his second wife, Grace Hightower, was a rather expensive endeavor. According to Page Six, De Niro and Hightower fiercely fought over money during their divorce proceedings. One point of contention was Hightower’s objection to the actor lowering her $100,000 credit card limit to $50,000 a month. While her legal team fought to secure her the previously-agreed limit, De Niro’s legal squad claimed he wasn’t making as much money as when they’d struck the deal. They also claimed that, despite his net worth, the “Heist” star had been spending more money than he was making. “His accounts and business manager … says that the best case for Mr. De Niro, if everything starts to turn around this year, … he is going to be lucky if he makes $7.5 million this year,” said his lawyer in 2020 (via Page Six).

Ultimately, this legal maneuver worked — at least partially. While the judge allowed for him to slash Hightower’s credit card limit, he was still on the hook for an additional $75,000 so she could secure summer housing. But that was far from the end of things. By April 2021, the aging star’s legal team was claiming that his ongoing financial obligations to Hightower were forcing him to work. “Mr. De Niro is 77 years old, and while he loves his craft, he should not be forced to work at this prodigious pace because he has to,” said his attorney in court (via Page Six). 

However, things were looking up slightly for De Niro by October 2021, when a judge ruled that Hightower wouldn’t be getting awarded half of his $500,000,000 fortune. But he’ll still be paying her $1 million a year in alimony for the rest of his days.