Robert De Niro‘s children and family life details continue to capture the public’s interest as the acclaimed actor balances an award-winning career with his role as the father of seven, sharing his journey across several decades and relationships. Spanning from his oldest, Drena, born in the early 1970s, to his youngest, Gia, born in 2023 with partner Tiffany Chen, De Niro’s expansive family is a tapestry interwoven with stories of support, resilience, and new beginnings.
De Niro’s Journey as a Father of Seven
Widely recognized for his powerful on-screen performances in films such as Taxi Driver and The Irishman, Robert De Niro devotes equal energy to his role off-screen as a dedicated parent. His children—Drena, Raphael, Julian, Airyn, Elliot, Helen Grace, and Gia—are the products of his relationships with Diahnne Abbott, Toukie Smith, Grace Hightower, and Tiffany Chen. While balancing a high-profile career, De Niro also holds the title of grandfather, with three grandchildren, although he navigated personal tragedy with the 2023 passing of his grandson, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, at age 19.
Reflecting on this loss in early 2024, De Niro told People,
[I] never thought it would happen. It shouldn’t have happened.
—Robert De Niro, Actor
In a June 2025 interview with ET, the actor discussed once again becoming a new father in his late seventies after the arrival of daughter Gia.
She’s two now, so as I get older and older—you know. But it’s still always wonderful. Pure joy. What can I say?
—Robert De Niro, Actor
De Niro has expressed steadfast support for all his children, notably after his daughter Airyn publicly came out as trans in April 2025.
Well, there’s certain things you can do and certain things you can’t do, but the main thing is to support your kids,
—Robert De Niro, Actor
As long as they’re not hurting themselves, doing anything destructive or anything like that, you have to support them. Period.
—Robert De Niro, Actor
His children often reciprocate this support at key moments, as De Niro continues both his professional work—including an upcoming Meet the Parents sequel with Ben Stiller and Ariana Grande—and family life.
Drena De Niro: Creative Pursuits and Loss
Drena De Niro, the eldest of Robert De Niro’s children, was born September 3, 1971, to Diahnne Abbott and her then-husband, later becoming De Niro’s adopted daughter after his 1976 marriage to Abbott. Growing up in Los Angeles, New York City, and Italy, Drena was exposed early to creativity. The surge of her father’s fame during her childhood went unnoticed by her at first.
When I was little, I didn’t really register what my parents did,
—Drena De Niro, Actress
I knew technically they were actors, but they weren’t famous. They were working actors at the time.
—Drena De Niro, Actress
Embracing the arts, Drena embarked on a modeling career, working with notable designers like Patrick Kelly, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Vivienne Westwood, and became a muse and DJ for Emporio Armani. She described the period as a valuable yet transitory experience.
It was great for me. I met great people, and it was a really fun way of staying in the business. But I knew at a certain point that I had to condense,
—Drena De Niro, Actress
Eventually shifting to acting, production, and direction, Drena launched her own company and directed the documentary Girls and Dolls in 2000. Collaborations with her father included shared appearances in films like 2015’s The Intern.
With artist Carlos Rodriguez, she welcomed a son, Leandro, in 2003. Leandro appeared in the film A Star Is Born in 2018 under the name Leo Stone but tragically passed away in 2023 due to an accidental drug overdose, as confirmed by the New York City chief medical examiner. On what would have been his 21st birthday, Drena wrote,
Happy 21st Birthday up in the heavens cosmos my little angel 👼,
—Drena De Niro, Actress
I never stop thinking of you 🥹♥️♥️,
—Drena De Niro, Actress
Raphael De Niro: Carving Out Success Beyond the Screen
Born November 9, 1976, Raphael Eugene De Niro is the son of Robert De Niro and Diahnne Abbott. Unlike his actor parents, Raphael pursued a career in real estate, focusing on luxury properties. He earned recognition as a broker catering to high-profile clients such as Renée Zellweger and Kelly Ripa and is a partner at the Greenwich Hotel in TriBeCa, where he oversees important aspects of the business.
the property’s design, construction and day-to-day operation,
—Raphael De Niro, Real Estate Broker
Raphael maintained that his achievements in real estate were of his own making, despite occasionally facing skepticism due to his father‘s fame.
People can say whatever they want, but at the end of the day, no one is buying a $10 million apartment because my dad is Robert De Niro,
—Raphael De Niro, Real Estate Broker
Many of them have more money than my dad.
—Raphael De Niro, Real Estate Broker
De Niro, reflecting on Raphael’s independence, affirmed his hands-off approach to his children’s choices.
I was very careful not to say anything to influence him,
—Robert De Niro, Actor
As a parent, the most important thing is that he’s happy with what he’s doing.
—Robert De Niro, Actor
Raphael’s personal life included marriage to Claudine Dominique DeMatos in 2008; the couple divorced in 2020. They share three children. In March 2020, Raphael married stylist Hannah Carnes at City Hall.
Julian De Niro: From Studies to the Spotlight
Julian Henry De Niro, one of De Niro’s twin sons with girlfriend Toukie Smith, was born October 20, 1995. Julian attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he double-majored in drama and computer science before earning a master’s in computer science at NYU.
Julian’s notable acting credits include portraying young Barack Obama in Showtime’s The First Lady, roles in 2016’s In Dubious Battle, and the 2025 miniseries Zero Day. He appeared on Broadway in the 2023 revival of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window. De Niro praised his son’s achievements, sharing:
I’m very proud of him. He was really lucky to get that [Broadway part]. He read for it a bunch of times,
—Robert De Niro, Actor
In a 2020 People interview, De Niro spoke broadly about supporting his children’s ambitions:
For my kids, I tell them, ‘If you want to be an actor or you want to do this or that, that’s fine as long as you’re happy. Just don’t sell yourself short,’
—Robert De Niro, Actor
That’s the most I would say — push yourself a little more and reach for what you really think it is you want to do. Don’t be afraid. It’s important for them to find their own lane.
—Robert De Niro, Actor
Airyn De Niro: Living Authentically
Born the same day as her brother Julian, Airyn De Niro grew up distanced from public attention, with her parents prioritizing her privacy.
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,
—Airyn De Niro, Aspiring Actress/Model
They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.
—Airyn De Niro, Aspiring Actress/Model
In a 2025 profile, Airyn spoke openly about her experience as a trans woman, noting empowerment from the visibility of others.
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,
—Airyn De Niro, Aspiring Actress/Model
Robert De Niro expressed his support for Airyn during her public transition.
I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don’t know what the big deal is,
—Robert De Niro, Actor
At 29, Airyn has begun forging a career in acting and modeling, with credits as a voice actor in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run and Ravenwood Rising. She is also studying to become a mental health counselor, focusing on marginalized groups.
People of color and queer people definitely need more mental health advocacy and support. So I’m hoping I’m able to do that,
—Airyn De Niro, Aspiring Actress/Model
In a 2025 interview, she described moving on from a decade-long relationship and her aspiration to start her own family.
I would love to have a family one day.
—Airyn De Niro, Aspiring Actress/Model
Elliot De Niro: Embracing Passions and Overcoming Stigma
Robert De Niro’s son, Elliot, was born March 18, 1998, with Grace Hightower. As a child, Elliot was shielded from the public eye, while also facing the challenges of an autism diagnosis. In March 2016, De Niro stated,
Grace and I have a child with autism and we believe it is critical that all of the issues surrounding the causes of autism be openly discussed and examined,
—Robert De Niro, Actor
Elliot’s love for tennis has served both as a passion and a confidence booster, a theme highlighted in ESPN’s 2020 feature on the 50th anniversary of the Special Olympics.
[Tennis] helps him be more confident when he sees that he is actually good at this,
—Robert De Niro, Actor
That’s the best self-motivator one can have. […] So it’s a win-win for everybody, especially him.
—Robert De Niro, Actor
His mother, Grace Hightower, echoed this championing of personal growth.
That is the gift you give your child. That is the gift: to be able to succeed within themselves and give them that motivation, confidence, the knowing of who they are,
—Grace Hightower, Socialite and Actress
[If] they have that, they can do so much.
—Grace Hightower, Socialite and Actress
When asked about his on-court experiences, Elliot simply expressed,
It feels good, I feel sometimes uplifted,
—Elliot De Niro
Helen Grace De Niro: Cherished Little Sister
De Niro and Grace Hightower welcomed daughter Helen Grace on December 21, 2011, via surrogate. The young Helen has enjoyed a close bond with her father, a connection highlighted by Tony Goldwyn, who directed De Niro in Ezra. Of their relationship, Goldwyn shared,
[Helen and her father] have the most dear relationship,
—Tony Goldwyn, Actor/Director
It was very interesting because he was playing, in our story, a grandfather to the 11-year-old boy Ezra … and so much of [his relationship with Helen], I feel, influenced his relationship with Ezra. It was a very beautiful thing,
—Tony Goldwyn, Actor/Director
De Niro offered his own insight into parenting younger children during an interview with ET Canada in 2023:
I don’t think I’ve ever been a cool father,
—Robert De Niro, Actor
I’m OK. My kids disagree with me at times, they’re respectful. My daughter [Helen] is 11 and she gives me grief sometimes and I argue with her and adore her.
—Robert De Niro, Actor
Helen Grace also made a notable appearance alongside her father and Tiffany Chen at the Cannes Film Festival’s opening ceremony and the screening of Partir Un Jour, further illustrating the importance of family events to the De Niros.
Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro: A New Chapter
Born on April 6, 2023, Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro is Robert De Niro’s youngest child, and his first with martial arts instructor Tiffany Chen. Gia made her television debut on CBS Mornings alongside her mom, who credited the little one’s arrival with bringing added fun to their lives. In her on-air segment, Chen said, She’s made it more fun.
De Niro and Chen connected on the set of The Intern in 2015, where she played a tai chi instructor. Their relationship became public in 2021 following a trip to France. Now, with Gia entering toddlerhood, De Niro is focused on nurturing her multicultural background, sharing his commitment to making her bilingual.
[She is] half-Chinese. I want to try to teach her Chinese and show her nursery rhymes in English and Chinese,
—Robert De Niro, Actor
I’m trying to have her learn both.
—Robert De Niro, Actor
The actor has also adjusted his daily routines, explaining:
I spend my mornings watching [children’s Internet entertainer] Ms Rachel with [Gia], and I give her her bottle,
—Robert De Niro, Actor
The Enduring Significance of the De Niro Family Legacy
Spanning over five decades and multiple generations, Robert De Niro’s commitment to fatherhood continues to shape his life beyond the silver screen. His children’s paths—whether in acting, business, activism, or sports—reflect an environment rooted in support and encouragement, with De Niro’s influence evident in their pursuits and personal growth. As he embraces this latest chapter with Gia Virginia, De Niro’s legacy as a father, as much as his acclaimed roles in Hollywood, remains a key part of his enduring story.
