Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro has expressed his full support for his daughter Airyn after she publicly came out as a transgender woman this week.
The 29-year-old shared her story in an interview published Tuesday, April 29, marking the first time she has spoken publicly about her journey. De Niro, known for his iconic roles in Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Killers of the Flower Moon, had nothing but love and pride for his daughter.
“I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter,” De Niro told The Hollywood Reporter. “I don’t know what the big deal is. I love all my children.”
A Personal Journey Made Public
@pinknews Robert De Niro has spoken out in support of his trans daughter 🏳️⚧️ In a statement to People on Wednesday 30 April, the actor said: “I love and support Arun as my daughter. I don’t know what the big deal is, I love all my children”. Airyn came out publicly as trans in a feature with Them magazine early this week. She is one of De Niro’s seven children. #robertdeniro #transwoman #protecttranskids #transrights #parents #lgbtqia
Airyn is one of De Niro’s seven children and shares a close bond with her twin brother, Julian. Their mother is model and actress Toukie Smith.
In her interview with Them, Airyn opened up about the emotional complexity of living authentically in 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 credited other trans women sharing their lives online and in the media with helping her take the leap toward living openly.
“Seeing trans women be honest and open, especially in public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success, made me realize: maybe it’s not too late for me.”
A Family Rooted in LGBTQ+ History
Remembering the Artist: Robert De Niro, Sr. Photo: HBO Documentary Films
De Niro has long spoken about his connection to the LGBTQ+ community, both through family and personal reflection. In 2014, he publicly discussed his late father, artist Robert De Niro Sr., who was gay, and shared regrets about not having deeper conversations with him during his lifetime.
In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, during Donald Trump’s presidency, De Niro also voiced concern for the safety and well-being of one of his sons who is gay, amid rising political and social tensions.
Support That Speaks Volumes
While De Niro is famously private about his personal life, his public support of Airyn adds to a growing wave of Hollywood parents standing by their trans children with love and pride.
From Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union to Charlize Theron, celebrity families showing up for their LGBTQ+ kids are helping to shift the public narrative—and De Niro is the latest to remind the world: love is love.
