Robert De Niro's children — all seven kids, all six mothers, and the baby he had at 79
I love my children, just being with them. It’s not easy. Sometimes it's fun, and you love your kids, and sometimes you want to kill them!
The Oscar-winning actor admitted that raising children is no walk in the park while speaking exclusively to Us Weekly at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival. Robert De Niro's children include Drena, Raphael, Julian, Aaron, Elliot, Helen Grace, and Gia Virginia. Together, they span an age gap of more than half a century, shared across four different relationships.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Robert De Niro is a father of seven, with his children born between 1971 and 2023.
- He shares his large family with four women from his past and present relationships: Diahnne Abbott, Toukie Smith, Grace Hightower, and Tiffany Chen.
- The iconic actor welcomed his youngest daughter, Gia, in April 2023, when he was 79.
Profile summary
Full name | Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 17 August 1943 |
Age | 82 years old (as of June 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Leo |
Place of birth | Manhattan, New York City, United States |
Current residence | New York City, New York, United States |
Nationality | American-Italian |
Ethnicity | Mixed |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in feet | 5'10" |
Height in centimetres | 177 |
Weight in pounds | 175 |
Weight in kilograms | 79 |
Hair colour | Grey (formerly dark brown) |
Eye colour | Dark brown |
Mother | Virginia Admiral |
Father | Robert De Niro Sr. |
Relationship status | Dating |
Partner | Tiffany Chen |
Children | 7 |
School | Little Red School House, High School of Music & Art |
Profession | Actor, film director, producer, entrepreneur |
Robert De Niro's children: Meet the actor's next generation beyond the silver screen
The Academy Award winner has built a vast, blended family tree over the decades. While iconic roles define his cinematic legacy, Robert De Niro has often stated that his real legacy lies with his family. Reflecting on his role as a parent, De Niro once told Access Hollywood:
Sometimes, I don't think people really know what it means to be a good father. You know you have a responsibility, but it's a mystery. It's a lot of excitement, but it's scary, and you do your best.
Drena De Niro
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Drena De Niro
- Date of birth: 3 September 1971
- Age: 54 years old (as of June 2026)
- Place of birth: New York, New York, United States
Drena De Niro is the eldest daughter in the family. Born to actress Diahnne Abbott during a previous relationship, she was formally adopted by Robert De Niro at age five after he married Abbott in 1976.
Before building her career as an actress, filmmaker, and producer, Drena worked successfully as a fashion model and DJ. She even served as a musical supervisor for Giorgio Armani, coordinating runway soundtracks.
Drena eventually transitioned to Hollywood, landing her first notable role in Grace of My Heart after training at The Black Nexxus Acting Studio. Since then, she has appeared in A Star Is Born and shared the screen with her father in Showtime and The Intern.
Tragically, Drena's only son, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, passed away on 2 July 2023 from accidental fentanyl poisoning. Drena currently resides in New York City and frequently works on film projects in Italy.
Raphael De Niro
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Raphael De Niro
- Date of birth: 9 November 1976
- Age: 49 years old (as of 2026)
- Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
Raphael De Niro is the actor's first biological son. He is a renowned American real estate broker and former actor. Raphael briefly pursued acting in his youth, appearing alongside his father in the 1990 classic Awakenings. However, he later pivoted away from the entertainment industry and found massive success in real estate.
Today, Raphael is a prominent luxury real estate broker in New York City. He operates within the prestigious Douglas Elliman network. Raphael De Niro represents high-profile clients, including Jon Bon Jovi, Renée Zellweger, and Kelly Ripa.
Raphael De Niro shares a son, Nicholas De Niro, with his ex-wife, Claudine De Niro. Nicholas was born on 21 May 2009 and is 17 years old as of 2026.
Julian Henry De Niro
Source: Facebook
- Full name: Julian Henry De Niro
- Date of birth: 20 October 1995
- Age: 30 years old (as of July 2026)
- Place of birth: New York City, New York, United States
Julian Henry De Niro is one of the twin boys born to De Niro and model Toukie Smith. The twins were conceived via in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and delivered through a gestational surrogate.
Julian famously values his privacy and keeps a notoriously low profile on social media. Academically gifted, he double-majored in computer science and mathematics at NYU's Courant Institute.
However, the creative bug eventually bit as Julian stepped into the acting world in 2022, portraying a young Barack Obama in the historical drama series The First Lady. Julian also starred in the movie In Dubious Battle, directed by James Franco and featuring Selena Gomez and Nat Wolff.
Airyn De Niro (Aaron Kendrick De Niro)
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Source: Instagram
- Full name: Airyn De Niro
- Date of birth: 20 October 1995
- Age: 30 years old (as of July 2026)
- Place of birth: New York City, New York, United States
Julian's twin, Aaron Kendrick De Niro, now known as Airyn De Niro, was also delivered via surrogacy in late 1995. She is an aspiring model and voice actor. According to her IMDb profile, she has worked on The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020) and Ravenwood Rising (2024).
In March 2025, she was spotted in New York, rocking a long pink hairstyle and a pair of heeled combat boots, accompanying his famous father. According to them, Airyn De Niro discussed navigating her transition as a transgender woman in April 2025. Discussing her transition and looking to other trans women, she said:
Trans women being honest and open, especially in public spaces like social media, and getting to see them succeed… I'm like, 'You know what? Maybe it's not too late for me.' Maybe I can start.
Airyn stated that she was anxious about her family's perception after transitioning. She was concerned that her family might still see her as the person she used to be. The voice actor desires to inspire others like her:
I'd want to hopefully be an inspiration for at least one other person like me who is Black, who is trans, who's not a size extra small. I'd want to see more trans women, more Black women who are maybe bigger-bodied or don't fit the mould of super thin.
De Niro told Variety that he loved and supported his son and would continue to support his now-daughter. He said in a statement:
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. I love all my children.
Elliot De Niro
Source: Facebook
- Full name: Elliot De Niro
- Date of birth: 18 March 1998
- Age: 28 years old (as of 2026)
- Place of birth: New York City, New York, United States
Elliot De Niro is the first child born to De Niro and his second wife, Grace Hightower. Elliot is deeply passionate about sports and is a longtime, active participant in the Special Olympics' tennis programs.
In 2016, the actor publicly shared that Elliot is on the autism spectrum, expressing his advocacy for autism awareness and support systems. He said:
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.
Helen Grace De Niro
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Helen Grace De Niro
- Date of birth: 23 December 2011
- Age: 14 years old (as of July 2026)
- Place of birth: United States
Helen Grace Hightower is the second daughter of De Niro and his second wife, Grace Hightower. She was born via a surrogate mother on 23 December 2011. Her parents worked to shield her from media attention during her early years, allowing her to grow up mostly out of the public eye.
According to TMZ, Helen Grace recently made headlines at age 14 for allegedly being cast in an upcoming Hollywood film, the latest sign she's following in her father's cinematic footsteps. Unconfirmed rumours say that the role might be in Robert's upcoming Focker-in-Law film alongside singer-songwriter Ariana Grande.
Gia Virginia Chen De Niro
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Gia Virginia Chen De Niro
- Date of birth: 6 April 2023
- Age: 3 years old (as of 2026)
Gia Virginia is the baby of the family, arriving in the spring of 2023. Her birth instantly became global news because De Niro was 79 years old at the time.
The veteran actor delightfully broke the news himself during a promotional interview with ET Canada for his film About My Father. When a journalist asked him about his six children, De Niro gently corrected them:
Seven, actually. I just had a baby.
Robert De Niro has since spoken warmly about how much immense joy and peace the toddler brings to his life.
Meet Robert De Niro's romantic partners
De Niro's long-term relationships and marriages have shaped his beautifully diverse family unit over the last 50 years. Here is a detailed look at each one of them.
Diahnne Abbott
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Diahnne Abbott
- Date of birth: 1 May 1945
- Age: 81 years old (as of 2026)
- Profession: Actress, singer
Diahnne Abbott, an American actress and singer, was De Niro's first wife. The pair met in the mid-1970s and memorably shared the screen in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976).
The couple married on 28 April 1976, during which time De Niro adopted Diahnne's daughter, Drena. They went on to welcome their son, Raphael, before divorcing in 1988 after twelve years of marriage.
Toukie Smith
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Toukie Smith
- Date of birth: 25 September 1955
- Age: 70 years old (as of July 2026)
- Profession: Model, actress
Following his divorce from Abbott, De Niro began a high-profile romance with prominent fashion model and actress Toukie Smith. She is the sister of the legendary late fashion designer Willi Smith, and is best known for her role as Eva Rawley on the NBC sitcom 227.
De Niro and Toukie were together from 1988 until 1996. Though they never legally wed, they welcomed their twin sons, Julian and Aaron, via a gestational carrier before parting ways amicably.
Grace Hightower
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Grace Hightower
- Date of birth: 7 April 1955
- Age: 71 years old (as of 2026)
- Profession: Philanthropist, actress, singer
De Niro married philanthropist, actress, and singer Grace Hightower in 1997, a decade after they first crossed paths in London. Their high-profile marriage saw plenty of media attention, including a brief early separation followed by a romantic renewal of vows in 2004.
De Niro and Grace share two children, Elliot and Helen Grace. The pair permanently separated in November 2018 and entered a lengthy divorce settlement. However, the former couple remains co-parents.
Tiffany Chen
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Tiffany Chen
- Year of birth: 1978
- Age: 48 years old (as of 2026)
- Profession: Martial arts instructor, athlete
De Niro and martial arts instructor Tiffany Chen first met on the set of the 2015 comedy The Intern, where she actually taught him Tai Chi movements for a scene. The pair began dating around 2021 and welcomed their daughter, Gia, in 2023.
Tiffany is a highly decorated athlete who holds multiple world titles in martial arts and was inducted into Inside Kung Fu magazine's Hall of Fame in 2011. She is the daughter of Kung Fu Grandmaster William C.C. Chen.
FAQs
- Who is Robert De Niro? He is an iconic American Oscar-winning actor, director, and producer.
- How old is Robert De Niro? De Niro is 82 years old as of June 2026. He was born on 17 August 1943.
- How many biological children does Robert De Niro have? He has six biological children: Raphael, twins Julian and Aaron, Elliot, Helen Grace, and Gia Virginia. The actor also has one adopted daughter, Drena.
- Who is Robert De Niro's youngest child? The actor's youngest child is Gia Virginia Chen De Niro, born on 6 April 2023.
- Who is the mother of De Niro's new baby? The mother of his youngest daughter is martial arts champion and instructor Tiffany Chen.
- What is the age difference between his oldest and youngest child? The age gap between his eldest daughter, Drena (born 1971), and his youngest daughter, Gia (born 2023), is 51 years.
- Who is Airyn De Niro? Airyn De Niro is Robert De Niro's daughter, formerly known as Aaron Kendrick De Niro.
Robert De Niro's children include seven sons and daughters connected through adoption, marriage, surrogacy, and long-term relationships. Despite his fame, the legendary actor has repeatedly said that being present for his family remains one of his most important responsibilities.
Legit.ng published an article about Cam Newton's children. Former NFL star Cam Newton is a devoted father of nine children. His kids include seven biological kids and two stepchildren from his partners' previous relationships, whom he has embraced as his own.
Cam Newton's blended family includes Chosen Sebastian, Sovereign-Dior Cambella, Camidas Swain, Cashmere Saint, and Caesar Lorenzo. He shares his children with three women: model Kia Proctor, photographer La Reina Shaw, and actress Jasmin Brown.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
