Robert De Niro is showing once again that when it comes to his family, love leads the way. The legendary actor is offering nothing but support for his daughter Airyn De Niro, who recently came out as with a big life decision.
“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,” De Niro told Variety in a statement that’s as simple as it is powerful.
“I love all my children.”
That’s about as straightforward De Niro as it gets—heartfelt with a touch of New York bluntness.
Airyn, one of De Niro’s seven children, opened up in a recent chat with Them, sharing her journey toward embracing her identity and stepping into the public eye.
“There’s a difference between being visible and being seen,” she said. “I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet.”
She reflected on her upbringing, noting that while her parents are major Hollywood figures, they worked hard to shield her from the spotlight.
“No parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight. They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”
As for what gave her the final nudge to share her story with the world, Airyn credits the openness of other trans women—especially those who’ve paved the way in the public eye.
“Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success,” she said. “I’m like, ‘You know what? Maybe it’s not too late for me.’”
After the interview went live, Airyn took to Instagram to thank everyone who reached out with kind words.
“Thank you to everyone who’s been so sweet and supportive! I’m not used to all these eyes on me,” she wrote.
In true Gen Z fashion, she added, “Also for the folks asking if I have representation or signed to anyone, I am literally just a girl with a phone, so sorry if I miss your messages!”