In the final section of his speech, De Niro shifted from his own stories to the advice he gives his own children — and immediately contradicted his earlier joke about telling them to 'get an accounting degree instead.' The real advice, he said, was simpler: don't be afraid to fail, keep an open mind, welcome new experiences, and take chances. Coming from an actor who had built one of the most celebrated careers in cinema history — from 'Taxi Driver' to 'Raging Bull' to 'The Godfather Part II' — the advice carried special weight. De Niro hadn't played it safe. He'd taken roles that were risky, worked with directors who were untested, and committed fully to characters that other actors wouldn't touch. The result was a body of work that would define American cinema for a generation.