Robert De Niro’s daughter Airyn De Niro is proudly introducing herself to the world on her own terms as a transgender woman.
About a month after tabloids misgendered her and fixated on her “shocking transformation,” Airyn realized people didn’t know anything about her.
So, to share her authentic self and to take control of the narrative, the 29-year-old spoke about her queerness and what it was like growing up as Robert De Niro’s daughter.
Robert De Niro’s daughter Airyn De Niro is introducing herself to the world as a transgender woman
Airyn was born to the Taxi Driver star and actress Toukie Smith in 1995. She is one of seven children fathered by the legendary actor.
The 29-year-old sat down for an interview with LGBTQ+ magazine Them and spoke about being femme-presenting since middle school.
Airyn came out as a gay boy in high school and eventually decided to begin hormone therapy, which she started in November 2024.
The aspiring model and voice actor said she decided to open up about her transgender identity when British tabloid Daily Mail carried an article about her last month.
“Robert De Niro’s nepo baby son shows off shock transformation with heels and pink hair in rare sighting,” screamed the headline, covering the story of her meeting her famous father at a hotel.
Airyn decided to talk about her transgender identity to take control of the narrative about her
“Not only did they get information wrong about me… They just sort of reminded me that people really don’t know anything about me,” Airyn told the magazine.
Among the issues she had with the article, she said the title of “nepo baby” didn’t sit well with her.
Her parents raised her away from the limelight and the glitz of Hollywood.
“I wasn’t brought up having a side part in one of dad’s movies or going to business meetings or attending premieres,” Airyn said, noting that her father was “very big” on them finding their “own sort of path.”
“I would want [success] to happen on my own merit,” the aspiring model and voice actor said
As she recalled her childhood in New York City, she said her family accepted her queerness. But her peers and schoolmates would ridicule her for her body, her femininity, and her biracial identity.
“I always grew up a bigger-bodied person,” she told the magazine. “Everybody else in the family [was] relatively thin or fit; I was not, so I sort of stood out like a sore thumb and there wasn’t anybody in my family that could relate to that experience.”
Being gay in high school also exposed her to the racism and body-shaming within the gay community.
“[Gay men were] ruthless and mean. I didn’t even fit that beauty standard, which is thin, white, muscular, or just super fit, masculine,” said Airyn.
“I was always told I was too much of something or not enough of something growing up: Too big, not skinny enough,” she continued. “Not Black enough, not white enough. Too feminine, not masculine enough. It was never just, ‘You’re just right, just the way you are.’”
Airyn said being gay in high school exposed her to the prejudices within the LGBTQ+ community as well
Over the years, Airyn embraced her transgender identity. She called herself a “late bloomer” but was convinced it was “not too late” for her to start hormone therapy.
“I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me,” she said. “I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.”
Netizens said they were “not surprised at all” after Airyn’s latest interview
Airyn is currently studying to become a mental health counselor and has also auditioned for acting jobs, including the role of Jules in Euphoria, which went to Hunter Schafer.
She said she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps and be a model. And she has dreams of being on the cover of Vogue or recreating one of her mother’s pictures.
Her mother Toukie has modeled for brands like Chanel and Versace and was best known for her role as Eva Rawley on the sitcom 227.
Airyn revealed that she wants to be like her mother and be “remembered” like her.
“Whenever I’m at a family gathering on my dad’s side, people would always talk about how much they love my mom and how memorable she was and how happy my dad was when he was with her,” she shared.
Airyn wants to be an inspiration to more queer people of color and bigger bodies
The aspiring actress said she wants to inspire more queer people of color and bigger bodies. She also wants to advocate for better mental health and support for them.
“I’d want to hopefully be an inspiration for at least one other person like me who is Black, who is queer, who’s not a size extra small,” she said during the interview. “I’d want to see more trans women, more Black women who are maybe bigger-bodied or don’t fit the mold of super thin or heroin chic.”
The 29-year-old is one of Robert De Niro’s seven children
Hollywood star Robert first became a parent to daughter Drena with his first wife Diahnne Abbott. They also share a son, Raphael.
He later welcomed twins, son Julian and daughter Airyn, with former girlfriend Toukie.
The legendary actor went on to welcome son Elliot and daughter Helen Grace with his ex-wife Grace Hightower, before becoming a father to baby girl Gia in April 2023 with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen.
“I bet he still loves her,” a social media user said
