Robert De Niro has spent more than five decades in the public eye, but his most enduring role is one he has rarely discussed in detail: father to seven children. His family has grown across four relationships, starting with his first marriage in the 1970s and continuing into his 80s with the arrival of his youngest daughter in 2023.
Here is a look at Robert De Niro’s children, who they are, and the women who share them with him.
The full roster
From oldest to youngest, De Niro’s children are Drena, Raphael, Julian, Airyn, Elliot, Helen, and Gia. Their mothers are his first wife, Diahnne Abbott; former girlfriend Toukie Smith; second wife Grace Hightower; and current partner Tiffany Chen.
Drena and Raphael: the first chapter
De Niro became a father in 1976 when he married Diahnne Abbott and adopted her daughter, Drena. The couple had met on the set of Taxi Driver. Drena later built her own career as an actress and model, appearing in A Star Is Born and in Joy alongside her father.
Drena’s life took a devastating turn in July 2023 when her only child, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, died at 19. De Niro issued a statement through ABC News expressing deep distress over the loss of his grandson and asking for privacy.
De Niro and Abbott also had a son, Raphael, born in November 1976. He appeared in small roles as a child in Awakenings and Raging Bull but ultimately chose a different path. Today he is a prominent New York real estate broker who leads the De Niro Team at Douglas Elliman. He has been married twice and has three children.
Julian and Airyn: the twins
After his marriage to Abbott ended, De Niro was in a relationship with model Toukie Smith from 1988 to 1996. The couple had twins, Julian and Airyn, in 1995 through in vitro fertilization and a surrogate. Both were raised largely out of the public eye.
Airyn made headlines in April 2025 when she came out as transgender in an interview with Them. She spoke about feeling ready to live openly after years of privacy and shared that she began her transition in 2024 and is studying to become a counselor. De Niro publicly affirmed his support, telling Today that he loves and supports Airyn as his daughter and that he loves all his children.
Elliot and Helen: the Hightower years
De Niro married Grace Hightower in 1997, and their son Elliot was born the following year. Elliot is autistic, and his parents found that tennis helped him build confidence both on and off the court.
The couple welcomed daughter Helen in 2011 via surrogate. She has remained almost entirely out of public view. De Niro and Hightower separated in 2018, and their divorce took years to resolve. They reached a custody agreement over Helen in February 2020, and an appeals court later ruled that Hightower was not entitled to half of his acting income under their prenuptial agreement.
Gia: the youngest
De Niro’s seventh child, Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro, was born on April 6, 2023, to his girlfriend Tiffany Chen, a martial arts trainer. He revealed the news almost by accident during a press interview, correcting a reporter who assumed he had six children. Gayle King later shared the first of Gia on CBS Mornings.
De Niro has described time with Gia as pure joy, saying everything else fades when he looks at her.
What fatherhood means to him
Though he rarely discusses his personal life, De Niro has offered glimpses into his approach to parenting. In a 2019 interview with Us Weekly, he said he loves simply being with his children. He has also described his guiding principle as backing his kids unconditionally, provided they are not hurting themselves or others. He has acknowledged that fatherhood is not easy, and that difficult days make the good ones feel even more rewarding.
