"You made it," actor Robert De Niro told New York University's Tisch School of the Arts graduates just last week. "And you're f'd."

"The graduates in accounting? They all have jobs," the New York legendary actor continued on, receiving a thunderous applause for what will go down as perhaps the most memorable opening line from a commencement speech in history.

"Where does that leave you? Envious of those accountants? I doubt it. They had a choice. 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."

[anad]

Reason, logic, common sense at the Tisch School of Arts? Are you kidding me? But you didn't have that choice, did you? You discovered a talent, developed an ambition and recognized your passion.

"When it comes to the arts, passion should always trump common sense," De Niro continued on. "You aren't just following dreams, you're reaching for your destiny. You're a dancer, a singer, a choreographer, a musician, a filmmaker, a writer, a photographer, a director, a producer, an actor, an artist."

Yeah, you're f'd. The good news is that that's not a bad place to start.

You can watch De Niro's speech in its entirety here.

Enjoyed this? Read 6 Struggles All New Yorkers Gotta Overcome in Order to Succeed in NYC.

[Feature Image Courtesy: Page Six]