Robert De Niro‘s daughter Airyn is breaking her silence on her transition and how initial reports disrespected her new journey.
The Hollywood veteran’s child got vulnerable about becoming a transwoman in an emotional interview, slamming media outlets for dubbing her a “nepo baby” and unveiling her transformation without her consent.
Airyn is one of Robert De Niro’s seven children, whom he welcomed with different women. She was born alongside her twin brother Julian during “The Wizard of Lies” actor’s relationship with his former girlfriend, actress Toukie Smith.
Robert De Niro’s Child Addresses The Media’s Insensitive Coverage Of Her Transition
Airyn aired her grievances in a tell-all interview, recalling that the paparazzi aired her transition after spotting her visiting her dad at the Greenwich Hotel.
She stressed that none of the outlets that covered her transformation reached out to her to discuss their article, especially The Daily Mail, which dubbed her a “nepo baby.” She found the outlet’s report extremely insensitive, with part of it reading:
“Robert De Niro’s nepo baby son shows off shock transformation with heels and pink hair in rare sighting.” Airyn noted the unwarranted labels made her realize “there’s a difference between being visible and being seen.”
“I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet,” she added. “Not only did they get information wrong about me… They just sort of reminded me that people really don’t know anything about me.” Airyn noted the media coverage was shocking considering she grew up out of the spotlight, telling Them:
“Obviously, no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight. They wanted it very private. They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”
The Hollywood Veteran’s Daughter Doesn’t Consider Herself A ‘Nepo Baby’
Given her under-the-radar childhood and efforts in the last seven years pursuing voice acting and modeling opportunities, Airyn found the “nepo baby” tag offensive. She stressed that she worked hard to achieve her career without her famous parents’ influence, saying:
“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. I would want [success] to happen on my own merit.”
Airyn doubled down on her successes being hers alone, confessing that she was ghosted or rejected by most casting directors because she did not use her father’s influence. Being trans made the process more challenging, but the proud De Niro refused to quit.
Airyn De Niro Suffered From Body Dysmorphia
While reflecting on her transition journey, Airyn noted she suffered from body dysmorphia while navigating beauty standards and gender ideals. “I was always told I was too much of something or not enough of something growing up,” she recalled.
“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,'” Airyn lamented. Although she had been femme-presenting since middle school, the aspiring actress did not start hormone therapy until last November.
Airyn explained the decision stemmed from her desire to maintain her femininity as she got older and to influence other Black women in similar situations. “I’d want to hopefully be an inspiration for at least one other person like me who is Black, who is queer, who’s not a size extra small,” she said.
All About The Hollywood Icon’s Seven Children
As an actor, director, and film producer, Robert has cemented his name as an entertainment giant. Outside Hollywood, the two-time Academy Award winner has enjoyed similar successes as the proud parent of seven children.
Robert adopted his oldest child, Drena, when he married her mother, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976. His daughter spent much of her childhood on his movie sets, especially in Italy, while he was shooting “The Godfather Part II” and “1900.”
The acting veteran became a grandfather in 2003 when Drena and her then-boyfriend, Carlos Rodriguez, welcomed their late son, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez.
During his marriage to Abbott, Robert also welcomed a son named Raphael. In 1995, twins Julian and Airyn were born while he was dating their mom, Toukie Smith. The Hollywood icon went on to welcome son Elliot and daughter Helen Grace with his second wife, Grace Hightower.
The end of his second marriage led to the birth of another daughter named Gia with his current girlfriend, Tiffany Chen. During a 2024 interview, Robert told PEOPLE he loved spending time with his children and taking family trips.
Robert De Niro’s Grandson Died In July 2023
Two years before Robert’s daughter announced her transition, The Blast reported the actor’s grandson had tragically died. The incident occurred in July 2023, with the New York Chief Medical Examiner’s office confirming Leandro passed away from an accidental overdose.
The report noted Leandro had consumed a toxic combination of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-amino clonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine. A friend discovered his body during a wellness check at his New York apartment after not hearing from Leandro in days.
At the time, Robert addressed Leandro’s death in a poignant statement, noting: “I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone.” He also implored the public for privacy and understanding to grieve his loss.
