Pop Culture

Robert De Niro on Supporting His Trans Daughter Airyn: 'I Don't Know What the Big Deal Is'

"I love and support Airyn as my daughter," the actor said.

Robert De Niro attends "The Alto Knights" European Premiere at the Curzon Mayfair on March 13, 2025 in London, England.
Image via Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Robert De Niro has nothing but respect for his trans daughter, Airyn De Niro.

Just days after Airyn's interview with Them about coming out as transgender was published, the two-time Academy Award winner issued a statement about his daughter living in her truth.

De Niro, who has six other children, welcomed Airyn via in vitro fertilization and surrogacy in 1995 with his former partner, Toukie Smith. Airyn has a twin brother, Julian Henry De Niro.

"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 Killing of a Flower Moon star told Variety in a statement this week. "I love all my children."

In her interview with Them, Airyn briefly discussed how she was raised, sharing that while "no parent is perfect," she's "grateful" that her parents kept her "out of the limelight."

"They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible," she said.

Also in the interview, Airyn expressed that she wants to be an inspiration to other Black trans women, citing actress Laverne Cox as an entertainer whose path she wants to follow.

Elsewhere in the profile, Airyn shared that she auditioned for the role of Jules Vaughn in Euphoria, which ultimately went to Hunter Schafer, and that she previously identified as a gay male. Airyn began hormone replacement therapy last November.

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L: Airyn De Niro. R: Robert De Niro takes part in SiriusXM's Town Hall with the cast of "The Alto Knights" hosted by Andy Cohen at SiriusXM Studios on March 17, 2025 in New York City.
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