Robert De Niro shared support for his transgender daughter Airyn De Niro, a day after she came out as a trans woman.
The Goodfellas star, 81, said he ‘loves and supports’ Airyn, 29, who is one of his seven children.
‘I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter,’ the Oscar winner said in a statement to TMZ on Wednesday.
‘I don’t know what the big deal is … I love all my children,’ the cinema icon added of Airyn, who began hormone therapy last year.
De Niro shares Airyn and her twin brother Julian, 29, with actress Toukie Smith, 72. The pair dated from 1988 to 1996.
His words of support come after Airyn did an extensive interview about her coming out journey to a prominent gay, lesbian and trans magazine.
At the age of 81, Robert De Niro expressed his support for his 29-year-old transgender daughter, Airyn De Niro, just a day after she publicly revealed her identity as a trans woman. The actor was recently seen in New York City in 2024.
The Goodfellas star said he ‘loves and supports’ Airyn (pictured) who began hormone therapy last year
Airyn discussed how she hopes to serve as a role model for queer women of color creating their own definition of beauty.
Airyn De Niro had a conversation with Them contributor Ava Pauline Emilione at a cafe in Williamsburg, New York, where they discussed various topics ranging from her favorite video games to her newly adorned pink hair, shedding light on her experiences growing up as the daughter of a globally renowned actor.
‘Not only did they get information wrong about me…They just sort of reminded me that people really don’t know anything about me,’ she began.
She also talked about her parents.
Reflecting on her upbringing, Airyn shared, “While no parent is perfect, I appreciate that my parents made a conscious decision to keep me away from the public eye. They preferred to maintain a high level of privacy surrounding me.”
‘They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.’
She then addressed deciding to begin hormone therapy / transition in November 2024.
‘Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success… I’m like, you know what? Maybe it’s not too late for me,’ she noted.
‘Maybe I can start.’
And there was a reason she wanted to address her gender identity.
‘I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter,’ the Oscar winner said in a statement to TMZ on Wednesday; seen with Airyn (bottom left)
‘I don’t know what the big deal is … I love all my children,’ the cinema icon — who has a total of seven children — added
Airyn (center) discussed her coming out journey and how she hopes to serve as a role model for queer women of color in an interview published on Tuesday
De Niro shares Airyn and her twin brother Julian, 29, with actress Toukie Smith, 72; the former pair pictured with the twins
‘There’s a difference between being visible and being seen,’ Airyn says. ‘I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet.’
On not feeling accepted by the queer community after coming out as a gay man in high school: ‘[Gay men were] ruthless and mean. I didn’t even fit that beauty standard, which is thin, white, muscular, or just super fit, masculine,’ Airyn says.
‘I was always told I was too much of something or not enough of something growing up: Too big, not skinny enough. Not Black enough, not white enough. Too feminine, not masculine enough. It was never just, “You’re just right, just the way you are.”‘
Hormone therapy in November 2024 helped.
‘I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me,’ she says.
‘I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.’
On learning to embody joyful, defiant womanhood from her mother: ‘Whenever I’m at a family gathering on my dad’s side, people would always talk about how much they love my mom and how memorable she was and how happy my dad was when he was with her,’ Airyn says.
‘I want to be like that…I want to be remembered the way that people remember her.’
Although Airyn (L) has not pursued fame, her twin brother, Julian (center) is a working actor; the twins seen with their famous dad in 2009
Smith and De Niro conceived their twins by in vitro fertilization and they were delivered via surrogate; Airyn and Julian seen as children in 1998
‘The way [my mom] would conduct or hold herself, the way that I saw her interact with others in public when I was younger, I see myself emulating that in some way,’ Airyn says.
‘Whether it’s just turning on the charm or not putting on a mask, but wanting to be feminine in a way that’s inviting and warm and welcoming.’
She does not like to be called a ‘nepo baby.’
‘I wasn’t brought up having a side part in one of dad’s movies or going to business meetings or attending premieres. My dad was very big on us finding our own sort of path,’ Airyn says. ‘I would want [success] to happen on my own merit.’
‘I had two auditions for this video game, League of Legends,’ she shared.
‘It’s one of the biggest video games I play all the time with friends. I was like, “Oh my God. That’d be so cool. It would be a make-it-or-break-it moment for me.” Obviously it didn’t happen. I was like, “What’s the point?’ It’s the really big auditions that you’re like, “F**k, this could have been life-changing, but it just I wasn’t the right fit.” And sometimes it’s hard to not internalize that.’
And she hopes to be a superstar.
‘I want queer people of color and bigger-bodied people to have an Alex Consani. I want queer people of color and bigger-bodied people to have a Hunter Schafer,’ she shared.
De Niro dated Toukie, best known for her role as Eva Rawley on the NBC sitcom 227, from 1988 to 1996; seen with Toukie circa 1990
‘A part of me has always wanted to model and sort of follow my mom’s footsteps. Honestly, if I could be on the cover of Vogue with her or recreating one of her pictures, that would be a dream come true.’
She also addressed mental health.
‘People of color and queer people definitely need more mental health advocacy and support. So I’m hoping I’m able to do that,’ she stated, adding, ‘The field originally was so catered to white cis hetero men — what they deem as wrong or right or mentally ill or whatever, that is from their lens.’
And she wants people to understand her pain of growing up.
‘I wish people saw someone who is trying their hardest to heal from growing up not feeling good about themselves,’ she said. ‘[And] in the process of that, trying to make other people feel good about themselves.’
Smith and De Niro conceived their twins by in vitro fertilization and they were delivered via surrogate.
The former couple began dating after his divorce from Diahnne Abbott. They were together for approximately eight years.
While appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2020, the Hollywood legend spoke candidly about raising his biracial children.
‘My children are all half black and I don’t have, even me, I take certain things for granted,’ De Niro admitted.
He continued: ‘When people say that they tell their kids, “Keep your hands [out] when you’re stopped by any cops, keep your hands on the steering wheel, don’t make a sudden move, don’t put your hands below, don’t do this,” you understand that.’
‘That’s scary. That has to change,’ he stated, referencing the conversation around referring to police brutality following George Floyd’s death. ‘Anybody who hurts another person for no reason other than self-defense or the defense of other people around shouldn’t be doing that job.’
De Niro has a total of seven children with four different women. Most recently, he welcomed Gia, 2, with girlfriend Tiffany Chen in April 2023 (pictured with Gia)
That same year, De Niro reflected on whether his kids feel pressured to follow in his footsteps.
‘For my kids, I tell them, “If you want to be an actor or you want to do this or that, that’s fine as long as you’re happy,”‘ he told People. ‘Just don’t sell yourself short. That’s the most I would say — push yourself a little more and reach for what you really think it is you want to do. Don’t be afraid.’
He continued: ‘It’s important for them to find their own lane.’
De Niro is also the father of daughter Drena, 53, and son Raphael, 48, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Diahnne. The actor is also father to son Elliot, 27, and daughter Helen Grace, 13, with ex-wife, Grace Hightower.
Most recently, he welcomed Gia, 2, with girlfriend Tiffany Chen in April 2023.
