Robert De Niro’s Daughter, Airyn, Reveals She’s Transgender
UPDATE: 5/1/25 at 12:19 a.m. ET — Robert De Niro has expressed his support for his daughter Airyn De Niro, sharing with Variety, “I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don’t see what the fuss is about. I love all my children.”
Original story:
Robert De Niro’s daughter Airyn De Niro is publicly embracing her identity as a trans woman — expressing gratitude to her parents for allowing her to live a private life until now.
“No parent is perfect, but I appreciate that both my parents chose to keep me away from the spotlight. They wished for my life to be very private,” Airyn, 29, told Them in an article released on Tuesday, April 29. “They have always wanted me to experience as normal a childhood as possible.”
Robert, 81, welcomed Airyn with actress Toukie Smith in 1995. (The iconic actor is also the father of six other children: Drea and Raphael, whom he shares with ex-wife Diahnne Abbott; son Julian, whom he shares with Smith; Elliot and Helen, children of ex-wife Grace Hightower; and Gia, whom he shares with girlfriend Tiffany Chen.)
Airyn’s feature on Tuesday highlighted her coming out as a trans woman, following a rare public appearance with her father.
The response to photos of Airyn and Robert made her realize that “people really don’t know anything about me.” She offered more insight into her upbringing during Tuesday’s Them interview.
“I always grew up as a bigger-bodied person,” she reflected. “The rest of my family was relatively thin or fit; I felt like I stood out, and there wasn’t anyone in my family who could relate to that experience.”
She’s also been labeled a “nepo baby,” a term she firmly rejects.
“I wasn’t raised to play a role in one of dad’s films or attend business meetings or premieres. My dad emphasized that we needed to carve our own paths,” she clarified. “I want success to come from my own efforts.”
Although she has auditioned for notable roles — like Jules in Euphoria, which went to Hunter Schafer — Airyn is still in the process of building her acting credentials.
“There’s a distinction between being visible and being seen,” Airyn noted during the interview. “I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been truly seen yet.”
She’s also dedicated to aiding others who share similar feelings by focusing on enhancing trans visibility.
“I wish people could see someone striving to heal from growing up feeling inadequate,” she expressed in her Them interview. “[And] along that journey, I want to help others feel good about themselves.”
