Diahnne Abbott was an actress and singer who was active in the 1970s and 1980s. She was the wife of famed actor Robert De Niro. Abbott is most remembered for her portrayal of Theresa, Robert DeNiro’s wife in Martin Scorsese’s 1976 classic Taxi Driver. But after her last major movie role in 1984, she fell off the radar.
So what happened to the once-promising actress? Let’s look at the life, career, and ultimate fate of Diahnne Abbott.
Early Life and Career
Diahnne Abbott was born in New York, making her debut in 1974 in the comedy Robert Altman’s, Thieves Like Us. She got her major breakthrough when she worked with Robert De Niro on the 1976 classic Taxi Driver as Robert De Niro’s wife, Theresa. Her role was a small but important one. She then had minor roles in the movies Dressed to Kill and Welcome to L.A. and TV appearances in Miami Vice and Saturday Night Live.
Her work with Robert De Niro wasn’t limited to the screen. Diahnne Abbott married him in 1976 and the couple had one son, Raphael De Niro in 1976. They divorced in 1988, but De Niro continued to provide her with financial support long after their divorce.
Continuing Career; New Ventures
Abbott continued to act throughout the 1980s, with more minor roles in films such as Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling, and The King of Comedy, all of which starred Robert De Niro. The latter two were directed by Martin Scorsese.
Throughout the mid-1980s, she also sang backup vocals in the pop music group Kamikaze. She also appeared on the cover of the album and in the music video “I Still Say Yes.”
In 1987, Abbott released her first solo album entitled Into The Light, which was ultimately unsuccessful and has since gone virtually unheard of.
Where Is Diahnne Abbott Now?
Despite her previous successes, Diahnne Abbott is now, for all intents and purposes, retired from show business. She maintains no online presence whatsoever and hasn’t been reported as having any involvement in any entertainment-related projects.
Wherever Diahnne Abbott is now, one thing is for sure – after a few decades out of the spotlight, she is likely taking it easy and enjoying a quiet retirement.
Diahnne Abbott will forever be remembered for her role as Robert De Niro’s wife in Taxi Driver and in other minor roles in the mid-‘70s and ‘80s. However, after a brief foray into pop music with Kamikaze and a failed solo album, Abbott retreated to the shadows with no desire to return to her past life as an actress or singer.
A brief return to the court of public opinion in 2004 when her son Raphael De Niro appeared in an episode of the hit series Friends was all the resurfacing we will likely ever get from Abbott.
She has disappeared completely from the public eye, leaving her legacy of film roles behind her and forever cementing her place in movie history as Robert De Niro’s wife in Taxi Driver. To this day, she remains a mysterious figure and quite likely retired and taking it easy.
