Robert De Niro tells NYU Tisch School of Arts students 'you're f**ked' during commencement address

Following Martin Scorsese's moving commencement speech last year for NYU's Tisch School of Arts, Robert De Niro took over the reigns for his Goodfellas and Raging Bull director this year. Bringing hard-knuckled truth, heart and humor to his address, the two-time Academy Award-winning actor made a encouraging speech, all while reminding the students, "you're f**ked."

The commencement took place on Friday. The sixteen-minute speech can be found on No Film School. It began first by De Niro thanking everyone in attendance and who brought him onto the stage, before reminding the graduating students, "you've made it...and you're f**ked."

"Think about that," he continued. "The graduates from the college of nursing, they all have jobs. The graduates from the college of dentistry, fully employed. The Leonard N. Stern School of Business graduates, they're covered. The school of medicine graduates, each one will get a job. The proud students of the NY School of Law, they're covered. And if not, who cares? They're lawyers. The English majors are not a factor. They will be at home writing their novels. Teachers, they will all be working. S**tty jobs, lousy pay, but they'll still be working. The graduates in accounting, they all have jobs. Where does that leave you? Envious of those accountants? I doubt it."

"They had a choice," De Niro pointed out. "Maybe they were passionate about accounting, but I think it's more likely that they used reason and logic and common sense to reach for a career that could give them the expectation of success and stability. Reason, logic, common sense at the Tisch School of Arts? Are you kidding me? But you didn't have that choice. You discovered a talent, you developed an ambition and recognized your passion. When you feel that, you can't fight it."

From there, De Niro talked about the plight of the artist. He says, "So yeah, you're f**ked. But that's not a bad place to start." The path, now that the choice has been made, is clear, he tells the over 10,000 people in attendance. "Not easy, but clear."

He reminds students they have to keep working and that they'll have to deal with a lifetime of rejection, among other topics and noteworthy tidbits and great little jokes. He also talks about some past rejection De Niro himself dealt with, while also comically saying he tried to get the part of a major American figure in one of last year's Best Picture nominees.

When De Niro is not seen on the stage inspiring new graduates, he stars in The Intern, Bus 657 and David O. Russell's Joy later this year. Next year, he'll appear in Hands of Stone and Dirty Grandpa. There was also talk of him reuniting with Bradley Cooper for a fourth time in Honeymoon with Harry, which would serve as Cooper's directorial debut at point, but because the actor recently announced to helm a remake of A Star is Born, it looks as though this film is currently in limbo.

It was also recently announced The Comedian, now to be directed by Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral), is moving forward again, as Deadline reported last week. This reunites him with writer Art Linson (What Just Happened?) and becomes the second time De Niro plays a stand-up comedian after The King of Comedy.

Check out the full video below:

Image courtesy of ACE/INFphoto.com