NEWSInside Whoopi Goldberg and Robert De Niro's Close Bond: 'They Both Admire Each Other'
Robert De Niro and Whoopi Goldberg have built a strong, sibling-like friendship over the years.
June 15 2025, Published 5:33 p.m. ET
Robert De Niro, one of Hollywood's most enigmatic figures, has formed a remarkable bond with close friend Whoopi Goldberg.
"This has been a friendship that has slowly grown over the decades and that both Whoopi and De Niro totally treasure," an insider told Closer about their enduring connection. "Sure, Whoopi knows everybody in show business, including billionaire moguls and tons of A-list actors, but in terms of people who have truly won her respect, that list is short and De Niro is at the absolute top of it."
Robert De Niro and Whoopi Goldberg became friends through their shared New York City roots.
The New York natives, both 69 and 81 years old, have forged their friendship through the backdrop of their shared Big Apple upbringing.
Whoopi Goldberg and Robert De Niro share a decades-long, treasured friendship.
"Robert trusts Whoopi implicitly. They both have this New York energy from the '80s and a million mutual friends who didn't survive even close to as long as they have," the source added. "Even outside of the movie business, they have been through a ton together, from 9/11 and its aftermath to the financial crisis and Covid."
Over the decades, both De Niro and Goldberg have established themselves as pillars of the entertainment industry, with the actor boasting over 120 films and TV appearances while the comedian has achieved EGOT status. Their on-screen collaborations include 2000's The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and the upcoming 2023 film Ezra.
Whoopi Goldberg introduced Robert De Niro as 'one of the greatest on the planet' during his appearance on 'The View.'
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"When De Niro was trying to relaunch the movie industry in New York after the pandemic, Whoopi was right there on the front lines supporting him when a lot of stars were still afraid to leave the house," the insider explained. "The bottom line is that they're both survivors and kings of the jungle, and they admire each other because of that."
Recently, De Niro joined Goldberg on her talk show, The View, where they delved into his life, career, and budding relationship with Tiffany Chen while promoting his new film, The Alto Knights.
As Goldberg introduced him, she called De Niro "one of the greatest on the planet," earning him a thunderous applause as he made his entrance.
Robert De Niro talked about starring opposite himself in 'The Alto Knights.'
During the segment, De Niro shared an amusing story about his dogs' cameo in the film, recalling how Chen suggested they audition. "My girlfriend was doing a little makeup test and Jason Sosnoff, one of the producers, was talking about the dog walking scenes and casting the dog," De Niro told the co-hosts. "So my girlfriend said to me, 'Well, how about our dogs?' She showed the pictures and Barry [Levinson] liked them. I think I even brought the dogs to meet him."
Robert De Niro is currently in a relationship with Tiffany Chen.
"I said one thing [to the dogs], 'If you do this, you better not f--- it up. Only speak when you're spoken to,'" he humorously added.
