Legendary actor Robert De Niro appeared in a New York court Wednesday as he fights for joint custody of his seven-year-old daughter with his soon-to-be ex-wife, Grace Hightower.
Flanked by members of his legal counsel, the 75-year-old Goodfellas star was spotted roaming the halls of the Manhattan Supreme Court casually dressed in a blue polo-shirt and dark sports jacket.
De Niro’s appearance comes as the latest stage in the now nine-month-long divorce proceeding, as his and Hightower’s lawyers met in a behind closed doors hearing.
Just as he was seen doing months before, De Niro once again made efforts to shield himself from public view by covering his face with a newspaper upon exiting the court.
Legendary actor Robert De Niro appeared in a New York court Wednesday as he fights for joint custody of his seven-year-old daughter with his soon-to-be ex-wife, Grace Hightower
lanked by members of his legal counsel, the 75-year-old Goodfellas star was spotted roaming the halls of the Manhattan Supreme Court casually dressed in a blue polo-shirt and dark sports jacket
Just as he was seen doing months before, De Niro once again made efforts to shield himself from public view by covering his face with a newspaper upon exiting the court
The couple announced the end of their 21-year marriage in November last year, and filed for divorce the following month
The couple announced the end of their 21-year marriage in November last year, filing for divorce the following month.
In the filing, Robert asked a judge for visitation with his daughter, Helen Grace, whom he and Grace welcomed via a surrogate in 2011.
The request has since spurred a custody battle between De Niro and Hightower, with the Oscar-winning actor pushing for co-custodianship.
De Niro’s demeanor appeared slightly more upbeat than his last showing in court back in April, where a PageSix photographer claimed he greeted paparazzi inside the courtroom by saying, ‘Hi scumbags. Hi scumbags,’ when asked ‘how are you doing?’
He’s tried repeatedly to keep any details of the divorce under wraps.
De Niro was granted an anonymous moniker for his divorce filing in Manhattan on December 13, a rare option only given out ‘sparingly’ and meant to preserve children’s ‘health and welfare.’
In the filing, Robert asked a judge for visitation with his daughter, Helen Grace (left), whom he and Grace welcomed via a surrogate in 2011. The request has since spurred a custody battle between De Niro and Hightower, with the Oscar-winning actor pushing for co-custodianship
De Niro’s demeanour appeared slightly more upbeat than his last showing in court back in April, where a PageSix photographer claimed he greeted paparazzi inside the courtroom by saying, ‘Hi scumbags. Hi scumbags,’ when asked ‘how are you doing?’
De Niro’s appearance comes as the latest stage in the now nine-month divorce hearing, as his and Hightower’s lawyers met behind closed doors
He’s tried repeatedly to keep any details of the divorce under wraps. De Niro was granted an anonymous moniker for his divorce filing in Manhattan on December 13, a rare option only given out ‘sparingly’ and meant to preserve children’s ‘health and welfare’
The Raging Bull actor was also seen attempting to avoid any attention by shielding his face with a newspaper during a January court appearance.
De Niro eventually confronted the reporters who were waiting outside the courthouse, telling one photographer: ‘You’re an old man, you should know better’.
‘You’re not smart doing your job like this,’ he told a reporter, declining to comment on the ongoing custody battle.
He was filmed moments afterwards suffering a meltdown after his driver wasn’t waiting for him at the back of the court house.
Renowned for playing some of Hollywood’s most infamous bad guys, De Niro erupted into an angry, expletive-laden monologue reminiscent of one of his famed mobster roles.
‘He’s in the wrong spot. I’m standing right where he dropped me off. What the f**k!’ he said while on the phone to his driver, still armed with his newspapers.
‘I don’t care if they chase you away… F**k. What’s the matter with you? Where are you?… This is ridiculous!’ he said raising his voice before ending the call.
De Niro was granted an anonymous moniker for his divorce filing in Manhattan on December 13, a rare option only given out ‘sparingly’ and meant to preserve children’s ‘health and welfare.’
The Raging Bull actor was also seen attempting to avoid any attention by shielding his face with a newspaper during a January court appearance
He was filmed moments afterwards suffering a meltdown after his driver wasn’t waiting for him at the back of the court house
The Hollywood icon shares two children with Hightower, including their 21-year-old Elliot, who was conceived by IVF.
His large family includes two other children from his relationship with former model Toukie Smith, which lasted from 1988-1996, and two children from his first marriage to actress and singer Diahnne Abbott.
Robert and Diahnne were married 1976-1988, and she had small roles in some of his films, including Taxi Driver and The King Of Comedy.
Upon confirming his split from Hightower late last year, De Niro lauded his ex-wife as a ‘wonderful mother’.
‘Grace and I have two beautiful children together. We are entering a period of transition in our relationship which is a difficult but constructive process,’ he said in a statement.
‘I honor Grace as a wonderful mother and ask for privacy and respect from all as we proceed to develop our roles as partners in parenting.’
Upon confirming his split from Hightower late last year, De Niro lauded his ex-wife as a ‘wonderful mother’
De Niro’s large family includes two other children from his relationship with former model Toukie Smith, which lasted from 1988-1996, and two children from his first marriage to actress and singer Diahnne Abbott
This isn’t the first time that the couple have tried to go their separate ways.
De Niro first filed for divorce from Hightower in 1999, just two years after they tied the knot.
Back then, they quarreled over custody of their now adult son Elliot, 20, before making amends and re-taking their vows in 2004.