Airyn De Niro, the 29-year-old child of legendary thespian Robert De Niro, dropped a massive truth bomb during a Fox & Friends interview today. In 2014, she publicly came out as a transgender woman. Regardless of the outcome, this announcement is a remarkable point of pivot in her life. She’s comfortable in her own shoes and takes pride in the path of self-exploration that has blossomed through the years.
Robert De Niro can’t stop talking about the strip clubs I’m 81! He has a biological daughter, Airyn, with his former partner, Toukie Smith, and has long professed to love and support all of his children. In light of Airyn’s announcement, he reaffirmed his commitment to her, stating, “I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter.” The De Niro family has been very vocal in their support for Airyn’s queer identity. Her friends accepted her when she came out as a gay man throughout her teenage life.
Airyn’s story is a testament to her resilience and the obstacles she has faced. Beginning her transition shortly after she began transitioning in November 2024, she discovered political empowerment in the power of her trans women sisters. “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 explained. This increase in confidence is a result of the shared experience of seeing one another express their stories that has empowered Airyn to live her truth authentically.
Looking back on her childhood, Airyn opened up to some of the difficulties she experienced as a child. “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,” she said. These comments molded her lens and drove her passion to become an influence for other women, especially women that looked like her. “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,” Airyn expressed.
Besides Airyn, Robert De Niro has fathered six other children from four other relationships. His youngest child, Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro, was born to his partner Tiffany Chen. While acknowledging the challenges of family relationships, De Niro’s conviction to provide for his adult children—one of whom has autism—is steadfast.
I don’t know what the drama is,” he said about Airyn’s transition, underlining the acceptance that is critical to families. De Niro’s approach mirrors his professed parenting philosophy of unconditional love for children wherever their paths may take them.
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