Robert De Niro

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Feb 15, 1998 | by DAVID ROWE

IN pictures they could be twins, rather than father and son.

The same strong jaw. The same heavy brow. The same deep-set eyes with their "Are you looking at me?" stare.

Robert De Niro Snr and his only child also shared the same tormented psychological make-up.

Both artists on the edge, unable to sustain lasting relationships with women.

But that is where the similarity ends. While his father struggled so badly to achieve his dream of being a famous painter that his son once had to save him from poverty in Paris, De Niro is a rich man widely acclaimed as America's finest actor. And although De Niro is obsessed with women, his father's only obsession was art.

Now nearly five years after his father's death, De Niro finds himself under the spotlight - once again in France - over his alleged involvement with an international vice ring.

As the French police discovered last week, trying to pin De Niro down is like trying to lift sand with a fork.

The brooding double-Oscar winner never willingly gives away anything about his often-troubled private life. Much of that unhappiness, friends say, stems from the fact his mother left his father when De Niro was just two.

Though De Niro is notoriously private, the same cannot be said of the string of exotic women who have starred in his life, as revealed in the biography Untouchable.

It is from them we have learned most about Hollywood's most acclaimed, and secretive, actor.

Apart from dating De Niro, almost all his lovers have one thing in common...while some men fantasise over voluptuous blondes, De Niro prefers the company of beautiful black women, such as models Naomi Campbell and Toukie Smith, singer Whitney Houston, and his first wife, Diahnne Abbott.

Last week it was another of his liaisons, a girl from the other end of the showbusiness spectrum, who took centre stage.

Charmaine Sinclair (pictured right) is a pounds 3,000-a-night call- girl and porn video actress, who claims she had a two-year affair with him.

It is alleged that Charmaine was part of an international vice ring.

De Niro, 54, is said to be "incandescent" at being questioned for 10 hours by French police over his alleged involvement.

His lawyer insists the actor has never paid Charmaine, nor any other woman, for sex.

But police said that three women had mentioned De Niro's name, and it appeared in an address book now in the possession of officers.

His lawyer said: "He admits shaking hands with two of the women, his answers to the third are censored." When Charmaine first revealed her relationship with De Niro a year ago it appeared to be based solely on lust.

De Niro pursued her, she claimed, after seeing a photograph of her naked by a swimming pool.

He is said to have told a mutual friend: "I want that girl."

According to Charmaine he got what he wanted, and was a satisfying lover.

She said when they first made love at his rented home in London's Chelsea "he reached out and we just held hands for a while.

"He told me what beautiful, soft skin I had and caressed my face. Then we had our first kiss. It was electric."

She added: "But sex was never the most important thing with Bob, we just enjoyed the intimacy."

Charmaine told how she couldn't resist asking De Niro how she compared to his ex-girlfriend Naomi Campbell.

She said he told her: "You've got a better butt."

While De Niro's sexual tastes seem well established, even in his most intimate moments he gives little of himself away.

British model Antonia Moore had a four-month affair with De Niro after meeting him at the Cannes Film Festival in 1993.

She revealed that De Niro was a romantic lover, but even when he was in the throes of passion she was never sure if he was showing her "the real him".

She said: "It was like you see in a black and white movie. He can take you to the top of the mountain and you just fly.

"But I often wondered if he was acting, or if it was for real. While we were making love, I was thinking was it just another role for him?"

Antonia, 28, recalled their first meeting: "I went down to Cannes with my boyfriend and a photographer and I was at a film party at the Carlton Hotel.

"While my boyfriend was in the toilet, Robert came over to me and said, 'You look stunning', and asked me for my telephone number.

"He was very rugged looking. At first I didn't realise who he was but I was charmed by him."

Three weeks later De Niro called Antonia at her flat in South Kensington, London.

"I picked up the phone and a voice on the end of the line, 'This is me'. I said, 'Who's me?' and he said, 'It's Robert'. I was stunned. I never thought I'd hear from him again."

They arranged to go out for dinner at a restaurant, but De Niro couldn't make it.

When they eventually did go out on a date together Antonia was struck by De Niro's sexual magnetism - and his deep shyness.

"He didn't say much about himself or his films," she said. "He talked about the wine he loves, and music.

"He is a withdrawn person. The nearest you can get to a recluse without actually being one."

Antonia, who says she shared 14 dates with De Niro, added: "He is the type of person you would like to take under your arm. He needs tender, loving care.