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Robert De Niro, the award successful actor of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull fame, has typically stored his private life relatively near his chest. Together with being probably the most celebrated actors of his time, De Niro can also be the daddy to seven youngsters. Over the course of his profession, the actor has maintained a reasonably low-key whereas bringing among the most memorable characters of the large display screen to life. The actor grew to become a dad for the seventh time in April 2023. He had a daughter, Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro, together with his girlfriend, Tiffany Chen. Over two months later, Robert’s eldest daughter Drena De Niro introduced that her son Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, 19, had died. In April 2025, one among Robert’s youngsters, Airyn got here out as transgender.
Though De Niro hardly ever discusses his private life publicly, there are some fascinating info to study his household, earlier relationships and marriages, and his seven youngsters. Be taught extra concerning the actor’s private life with the excellent timeline under.
Drena De Niro
De Niro marred Diahnne Abbot in 1976, and subsequently grew to become the stepfather to Diahnne’s daughter from a earlier marriage, Drena. Diahnne and De Niro met on the set of the 1976 movie Taxi Driver, which starred De Niro in one among his most iconic roles. Drena, born September 3, 1971, took her stepfather’s final identify and went on to observe in each of her mother and father’ footsteps.
Drena is an actress and mannequin. Her transition to appearing started in her mid-20s, when she performed a receptionist within the movie Grace of My Coronary heart. Over the course of some many years, Drena constructed up a robust filmography with quite a few credit, together with a job in 2018’s Oscar-nominated movie A Star Is Born, starring Woman Gaga and Bradley Cooper, in addition to a job within the movie Pleasure, co-starring her stepfather and starring Jennifer Lawrence. Drena is shut with each her mother and stepfather, and sometimes shares a photograph or two with De Niro on her Instagram web page.
On July 2, 2023, Drena introduced the dying of her 19-year-old son, and Robert’s grandson, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez. Drena shared Leandro with New York-based artist Carlos Mare. Leo had a small half in A Star Is Born together with his mother. “My lovely candy angel. I’ve cherished you past phrases or description from the second I felt you in my stomach,” Drena wrote in her emotional message on Instagram. “You’ve gotten been my pleasure my coronary heart and all that was ever pure and actual in my life. I want I used to be with you proper now. I want I used to be with you. I don’t know how you can stay with out you however I’ll attempt to go on and unfold the love and light-weight that you simply so made me really feel in attending to be your mama.”
Drena continued, “You had been so deeply cherished and appreciated and I want that love alone might have saved you. I’m so sorry my child. I’m so sorry @carlosmare. Relaxation in Peace and Everlasting Paradise my darling boy.” Robert has not commented on his grandson’s passing but.
Raphael De Niro
Raphael De Niro is the primary baby between Diahnne Abbot and Robert De Niro. The couple welcomed their son on November 9, 1976. Very similar to his half-sister, Drena, Raphael additionally began his profession in appearing. Early on, Raphael appeared in movies alongside his father, together with Awakenings and Raging Bull. Though he began out in appearing, Raphael made a fairly drastic profession change as an grownup.
Raphael went on to turn into an actual property dealer, founding the agency De Niro Crew, Douglas Elliman, described as a “actual property advisory staff with 15 years of confirmed success in New York Metropolis resale and new improvement,” per their Instagram web page. Of his purchasers, Raphael has labored with the likes of Jon Bon Jovi, Kelly Ripa, and extra in terms of their actual property pursuits. Raphael has been married twice and has three youngsters together with his ex-wife Claudine De Mato. When Raphael was only a pre-teen, his father and mom filed for divorce.
Julian & Airyn De Niro
Following his divorce from Diahnne Abbot, De Niro began courting mannequin Toukie Smith. Throughout their relationship, which lasted from 1988 to 1996, De Niro and Toukie welcomed twins, Julian and Airyn De Niro. The twins had been conceived by way of in vitro fertilization, and born by way of surrogate in October 1995. Each Julian and Aaron are pretty personal about their lives. Though they did attend crimson carpet occasions with their father and mom as children, as adults they lead comparatively quiet lives.
In April 2025, Airyn opened up about popping out as transgender in an interview with Them. “Trans girls being trustworthy and open, particularly [in] public areas like social media and attending to see them of their success … I’m like, what? Perhaps it’s not too late for me,” Airyn defined, including, “Perhaps I can begin.”
Elliot De Niro
By 1997, De Niro married his second spouse, Grace Hightower. The couple welcomed their son, Elliot De Niro, in 1998. Elliot is a teen with particular wants, and Grace and her husband had been adamant about discovering their son an outlet to get pleasure from and be himself. They enrolled Elliot in tennis classes and he fell in love with the game.
“He wasn’t loopy about it, at occasions,” De Niro confessed of his son’s enthusiasm for tennis in a video for ESPN. “His mom was good at pushing [him], and wanting him to be bodily and work out,” De Niro went on. “He has realized, ‘Oh, I can accomplish this,’” Grace stated of her son. “It has helped him socially,” she went on. “It helps him be extra assured when he sees that he’s truly good at this,” De Niro stated of his son’s relationship with tennis and exercising. “That’s the perfect self-motivator one can have. He’s gonna really feel higher about himself, which he does. So, it’s a win-win for everyone, particularly [Elliot].”
Per Heavy, Robert revealed again in 2016 that Elliot is on the autism spectrum. He had simply yanked the controversial movie Vaxxed from the Tribeca Movie Pageant, stating that the controversial anti-vaccine movie is one thing “everybody ought to see.” Based on Heavy, De Niro claims by way of The Telegraph that Elliot “modified in a single day” after having a measles vaccination administered.
Whereas it’s clear that De Niro had Grace have a robust bond and help for his or her son, the couple practically break up lower than three years after getting married. They initially referred to as it quits on their marriage in 1999, however the divorce was by no means finalized. In 2004, De Niro and Hightower renewed their vows.
Helen De Niro
With their marriage again on observe, De Niro and his spouse made the choice to increase their household additional. In 2011, the couple welcomed their daughter, Helen De Niro, by way of surrogate. Little is understood about Helen, in spite of everything she is almost 10 years previous. However years after she was welcomed into the De Niro household, Helen’s mother and father formally made the choice to finish their marriage. Grace and De Niro separated in 2018, and their divorce could be very a lot nonetheless up within the air as a consequence of ongoing authorized points and extra.
Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro
Robert De Niro and his accomplice Tiffany Chen welcomed Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro in early April — and now, she’s making her nationwide TV debut on #CBSMornings. https://t.co/OJJxGcEKlU pic.twitter.com/opiFRpWkRs
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) Might 11, 2023
The Goodfellas actor was revealed to have welcomed a seventh baby in an interview with ET Canada on Might 9, 2023. “Seven, truly. I simply had a child,” he stated.
Robert let CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King reveal particulars about his new child on Might 11. Gayle confirmed the primary image of Robert and Tiffany’s new child daughter, named Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro. Gayle revealed that child Gia was born April 6 and weighed 8 kilos, 6 ounces. She stated Robert and Tiffany “are over the moon” about their new child.
The Killers of the Flower Moon star talked about how a lot he loves his youngest daughter in a brand new interview with Individuals, printed in February 2024. “She’s such an cute child. So candy,” he stated. “[When I] have a look at her, every thing else goes away. So it’s an important pleasure and reduction to simply be along with her within the second.”
What Robert De Niro Has Stated About His Kids
All through his profession, De Niro has hardly ever mentioned his private life. However throughout a June 2020 look on The Tonight Present Starring Jimmy Fallon, the actor welcomed the chance to speak about his youngsters and elevating them over the course of the previous couple of many years. “My youngsters are all half Black and I don’t have, even me, I take sure issues without any consideration,” the actor admitted to eponymous host, Jimmy Fallon.
“When folks say that they inform their youngsters, ‘Preserve your palms [out] once you’re stopped by any cops, maintain your palms on the steering wheel, don’t make a sudden transfer, don’t put your palms under, don’t do that,’ you perceive that,” he continued, including, “That’s scary. That has to vary.”
Together with revealing such particulars about watching his youngsters navigate the world, he’s additionally been fairly candid about how he feels in terms of them following in his footsteps and pursuing a profession in appearing. “For my youngsters, I inform them, ‘If you wish to be an actor otherwise you wish to do that or that, that’s fantastic so long as you’re completely happy,’” the actor informed Individuals. “Simply don’t promote your self quick. That’s essentially the most I’d say — push your self somewhat extra and attain for what you actually suppose it’s you wish to do. Don’t be afraid.” He was very adamant that he wished this youngsters to “discover their very own lane.”
Whereas he has been very reticent to debate his youngsters prior to now, De Niro seems to be very supportive and love them very a lot — like another concerned guardian. “I really like my youngsters, simply being with them,” the actor gushed to Us Weekly April 2019. “It’s not simple. Generally it’s enjoyable and you’re keen on your youngsters, and generally you wish to kill them!” Like every guardian, it’s clear that Robert De Niro’s relationships together with his youngsters have been completely distinctive, but additionally acquainted for his longtime followers who may be mother and father, too.
