American actress and vocalist Diahnne Abbott is best known for her roles in the films Taxi Driver, The King of Comedy, and Crime Story. She is the first wife of legendary veteran actor Robert De Niro. Few details are known about her family. Prior to her marriage to De Niro, Abbott was a comparatively unknown singer and actress. She was born and raised in New York City. In 1976, she co-starred with him in the Martin Scorsese psychological thriller ‘Taxi Driver’. She also starred in Alan Rudolph’s ‘Welcome to L.A.’ that same year. In the years that followed, Abbott collaborated with Scorsese and De Niro twice more, in the films New York, New York and The King of Comedy. She also appeared in a number of additional films. Abbott ultimately withdrew from public life after she and De Niro divorced in 1988. She made a rare appearance at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival’s “The King of Comedy” Closing Night Screening Gala.
Early Life Of Abbott
Abbott was born in New York City, New York, on January 1, 1945. Her father is from Antigua, and the renowned vocalist, musician, composer, and producer Gregory Abbott is her cousin, but little else is known about her family.
Wedlock with Robert De Niro
Abbott had a daughter by the name of Drena from a previous relationship when she first met De Niro. Prior to her relationship with De Niro, she was largely unknown in the entertainment industry despite being a talented vocalist and actress. They started dating during the early 1970s. As for Robert De Niro, he was already a renowned actor. He appeared in a number of films and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for ‘The Godfather, Part II,’ which is frequently ranked among the greatest films of all time.
He had collaborated with such notable directors as Brian De Palma, Martin Scorsese, Roger Corman, and Francis Ford Coppola. Abbott and De Niro wed in 1976, and De Niro subsequently adopted Abbott’s daughter, Drena. In addition, they have a son named Raphael who was born in 1976. In the 1980s, De Niro had become one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actors, and his personal life had become increasingly chaotic. He frequented local nightclubs and was allegedly a narcotic user. Additionally, he was involved in a succession of affairs despite being married to Abbott. During this time, among his closest companions were director Martin Scorsese and comedian John Belushi. In 1982, the latter died from a narcotic overdose.
Abbott and De Niro rented a condo in Bel Air for some time. They had multiple canines and were frequently visited by industry colleagues. According to the New York Times, when they vacated the condo, their landlord sued them for $10,000 in damages caused by their canines. In 1988, they eventually divorced. Since then, De Niro has wed his second wife, Grace Hightower. Through Drena and Raphael, Abbott has four grandchildren; one through Drena and three through Raphael. Drena is an actress like her parents, and she has appeared in films such as ‘Death of a Dynasty’ (2003), ‘The Lovebirds’ (2007), ‘New Year’s Eve’ (2011), ‘The Intern’ (2015), and ‘Joy’ (2015). Raphel began his career in the film industry as an actor in 1984’s “Love Streams” but later became a real estate agent. Until now, he has produced two films: “West 4th” and “James Abbott is Gone.”
A profession About Abbott
In 1976, Diahnne Abbott made her film debut in “Taxi Driver.” This was De Niro’s second film with Scorsese, following ‘Mean Streets’ from 1973. The neo-noir psychological thriller ‘Taxi Driver’ focuses on Travis Bickle (De Niro), a veteran who drives a taxi in New York City and suffers from chronic insomnia. The film expertly depicts his gradual descent into insanity as he plots the assassination of a presidential candidate and the pimp of a prostitute he encounters. In the film, Abbott portrayed a character credited as the concession girl. She also appeared in the musical drama ‘Welcome to L.A.’ that same year.
Abbott had the opportunity to showcase her vocal talent as a Harlem club singer in the 1977 musical drama ‘New York, New York’. This was her second time collaborating professionally with De Niro and Scorsese. She reunited with them for the 1983 satirical black comedy ‘The King of Comedy’. Cast as Rita Keane, for the first time in her career, she portrayed one of the principal characters.
Abbott subsequently appeared in ‘Love Streams’ (1984) by John Cassavetes, ‘Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling’ (1986), and ‘Before Night Falls’ (2000). She also portrayed Lea/Leah in the drama film ‘Soliloquy’ (2002) and its sequel ‘Lea’s Soliloquy’ (2006). Both films were directed by Jacques Zanetti, with whom she also collaborated on ‘James Abbott Is Gone’ (2013) and ‘Day After Day’ (2017). As for her television career, she portrayed Sonia in NBC’s ‘Crime Story’ (1988) in a recurring role.
Estimated Net Worth
Diahnne is one of the wealthiest actresses in the United States. Diahnne Abbott has a net worth of $5 million, according to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.