Robert De Niro says he ‘loves' and ‘supports' his transgender daughter: ‘I don't know what the big deal is'
Robert De Niro is supporting his daughter after she came out as transgender.
The Academy Award winner, 81, addressed his daughter Airyn De Niro's decision to tell the world she began hormone therapy last year and is living her life as a trans woman at 29 in her first-ever interview with Them published on Tuesday, April 29.
'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 The Post in a statement on Wednesday, one day after Airyn's story made headlines. 'I love all my children.'
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Airyn — who was born with the name Aaron — is one of the two children De Niro shares with his ex, model Toukie Smith. They are also parents to Airyn's twin brother, Julian.
8 Robert De Niro issued a statement after his daughter came out as transgender.
Rick Davis / SplashNews.com
8 Airyn De Niro revealed she's living as a trans woman at 29.
voiceofairyn/Instagram
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De Niro's support for Airyn is no surprise.
The 'Taxi Driver' actor's late father, painter Robert De Niro Sr., lived as an openly gay man after struggling with his sexuality, which reportedly caused the end of marriage when the star was a toddler.
The artist died from cancer in 1993 at age 71.
8 Robert De Niro with several of his seven children.
drenadeniro/Instagram
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8 The actor has been a longtime ally of the LGBTQ+ community.
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His son has kept his legacy alive, even appearing in the HBO documentary 'Remembering the Artist: Robert De Niro, Sr,' in which he read his father's diary entries aloud.
The award-winning actor also received the GLAAD's Excellence in Media Award in 2016 for his support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Airyn spoke about her parents in her coming out article.
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8 Robert De Niro with Toukie Smith, Airyn and her twin brother, Julian.
voiceofairyn/Instagram
8 Robert De Niro's daughter Airyn revealed she started hormone therapy late last year.
voiceofairyn/Instagram
'Obviously, no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight,' she told Them of her upbringing. 'They wanted it very private; they have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.'
She also made it clear that while she hopes to follow her mom's path into acting and modeling, Airyn does not want to be called a nepo baby.
'I wasn't brought up having a side part in one of dad's movies or going to business meetings or attending premieres. My dad was very big on us finding our own sort of path. I would want [success] to happen on my own merit,' De Niro's daughter shared.
8 Airyn shared that being a trans woman means 'being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media.'
voiceofairyn/Instagram
Airyn also opened up about what made her brave enough to follow her truth.
'I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me,' she explained. 'I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.'
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She added that being a trans woman means 'being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media.'
8 Airyn hopes her story inspires others.
voiceofairyn/Instagram
After seeing so many trans women come out and be happy, she thought, ''You know what? Maybe it's not too late for me. Maybe I can start.''
Airyn wants her story to inspire others.
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'There's a difference between being visible and being seen,' De Niro's daughter said. 'I've been visible. I don't think I've been seen yet.'
De Niro has seven children from several different mothers, with the oldest of his kids being 57 and the youngest 2.
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