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At 83, the two-time Oscar winner still turns up on movie sets, still commands attention, and still finds time to be a father to seven children spanning more than five decades. From a daughter born in the early 1970s to a toddler who arrived when he was 79, his family is large, varied, and deeply important to him. 28 Jul 2026 | 16:22 In a recent interview with People he has spoken about his children being interested for pursuing their careers in acting. Elliot was born on March 18, 1998, to De Niro and Grace Hightower. In 2016 his father revealed that Elliot has autism. In 2018 he was featured in ESPN’s Special Olympics series marking the organization’s 50th anniversary. Helen Grace arrived via surrogate on December 23, 2011. The couple separated in 2018 after more than twenty years together but continue to co-parent Elliot and Helen amicably. At the premiere of About My Father He said he was fine with becoming a father again at 79 and that raising children never gets easier.
He said that he is “OK”, but added: “It’s just not as easy as you would think. “I’d want to see more trans women, more Black women who are maybe bigger-bodied,” she said. De Niro has said the sport gives his son confidence and a sense of accomplishment that is hard to find elsewhere. De Niro has said he wants Gia to grow up speaking both Chinese and English and has called her pure joy.
Robert De Niro has never been one for the quiet life. The actor stars alongside Scott in the new Netflix film The Whisper Man. He plays Scott’s estranged father in the crime thriller, which explores themes of parenting and fatherhood. That same year De Niro supported the screening of the documentary Vaxxed at the Tribeca Film Festival, saying he wanted people to see it and that he sought safe vaccines, not an anti-vaccine stance. Elliot is greatly passionate in playing tennis. De Niro and Hightower have worked hard to keep her out of the spotlight while she is still young. Occasional photos show father and daughter at the beach in California or walking in Manhattan. De Niro has described the bittersweet feeling of watching children grow up and no longer want to hold a parent’s hand. Chen has spoken on CBS Mornings about developing Bell’s palsy shortly after the birth. His older children and even his grandchildren dote on her; she is, after all, their aunt while some of them are already teenagers. Across five decades De Niro has remained a constant presence for his children. He tells them not to be afraid of reaching for what they want. In a life filled with iconic roles, the simple act of being together still ranks highest. Looking for trusted parenting advice? Follow TOI Parenting Circle on Instagram for expert guidance, relatable stories, and practical tips delivered every day.
Previously De Niro had spoken about parenting his children in 2025, telling Entertainment Tonight: “The main thing is to support your kids. Drena arrived first, on September 3, 1971. When De Niro married Abbott in 1976 he adopted Drena, and she took his last name. Much of her early childhood unfolded on film sets and in Italy while her father shot The Godfather Part II and 1900. In 2003 she and then-boyfriend Carlos Rodriguez had a son, Leandro. The boy died in July 2023 at age 19 from an accidental overdose involving several substances. Raphael Eugene De Niro was born on November 9, 1976, to De Niro and Abbott. He has been also working with the Manhattan brokerage since the early 2000s and launched the De Niro Team in 2004. Raphael married Claudine De Matos in 2008; they had three children and offically divorced in 2020 according to Page Six. He later married stylist Hannah Carnes in a quiet City Hall ceremony in March 2020 after pandemic restrictions delayed their original plans. Julian Henry De Niro and his twin sister were born on October 20, 1995, to De Niro and actress Toukie Smith. His first credited film role came in 2016 with In Dubious Battle alongside James Franco and Selena Gomez. In December 2023 Julian appeared with his father and sister Drena at Art Basel in Miami, where the three spent an evening looking at art and taking family photos. Airyn, Julian’s twin, kept a very private life until April 2025, when she came out as transgender in an interview with Them. Hormone therapy began in November 2024. Gia was born on April 6, 2023, to De Niro and girlfriend Tiffany Chen.
She appeared in Great Expectations, A Star Is Born and Joy, and directed a short documentary Girls and Dolls, that won an award at the New York Independent Film and Video Festival.
De Niro waited more than a month before mentioning the news publicly, correcting an interviewer of ET Canada who asked about his six children by saying, “Seven, actually.” As long as they’re not hurting themselves, doing anything destructive or anything like that, you have to support them, period”. That steady affection runs through the stories of each of his children. Her mother is actress Diahnne Abbott. Those years left her with a lasting love of travel. As an adult she modeled for designers including Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood and Giorgio Armani, then moved into acting and producing. Drena has spoken publicly of her grief, calling him her joy and her heart. Unlike many in the family he chose real estate over acting. He has worked with Douglas Elliman real estate. His clients have included some A-listers like Jon Bon Jovi, Kelly Ripa and Renée Zellweger. He is also a partner in the Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca. Julian has followed the family into acting. He played a young Barack Obama in Showtime’s The First Lady. He also studied computer science and math at New York University and once co-authored a Twitter analysis that appeared in The Washington Post. De Niro has spoken openly about raising biracial children and the extra caution he has learned they sometimes need. She described years of feeling she was never quite enough, too big, not skinny enough, not Black enough, not White enough, too feminine or not masculine enough. Airyn is studying to become a mental health counselor and hopes to support people of color and queer people who need more advocacy. She also aspires to act and model, saying she wants to be an inspiration for others who do not fit narrow beauty standards.