Robert De Niro speaks in support of trans daughter Airyn
Published in Entertainment News
Robert De Niro has spoken up for his daughter Airyn De Niro, who recently revealed publicly that she is transgender.
“I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don’t know what the big deal is,” the two-time Academy Award winner said in a statement published Thursday. “I love all my children.”
Airyn, whose mother is former model, actress and restaurateur Toukie Smith, spoke about her transgender experience in an exclusive interview published Tuesday.
The 29-year-old aspiring actress and model said she began hormone therapy in November 2024.
“I think part of me is concerned that (my family) will maybe still think of me as the person I was before the transition,” she shared.
In March, Airyn’s so-called “major transformation” went viral after she was outed by British tabloids while meeting her famous father during a family outing in New York City.
She is one of De Niro’s seven children with four different women. The 81-year-old “Raging Bull” star announced in May 2023 that he’s a father again.
Airyn and her twin brother, Julian, were born in 1994 via surrogate a year before her parents split after nearly a decade.
“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,” the New York native shared. “They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”
As an adult, she said, “there’s a difference between being visible and being seen. I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet.”
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