Meet Robert De Niro’s 7 Children—Including the 81-Year-Old’s Sweet Toddler, Gia

When he isn’t delivering lauded performances on screen, actor Robert De Niro steps into the role of dad. The Academy Award winner is father to seven children: Drena, Raphael, Julian, Airyn, Elliot, Helen Grace, and Gia. He shares Drena and Raphael with his first wife, Diahnne Abbott. His twins, Julian and Airyn, who he shares with Toukie Smith, arrived in 1995. The Raging Bull actor also welcomed son Elliot and daughter Helen Grace with ex-wife Grace Hightower. Finally, he and girlfriend Tiffany Chen welcomed a daughter, Gia, in 2023.

On top of being a dad of seven, De Niro is also a grandfather of three. His first grandson, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, passed away in July 2023 at just 19 years old. "It's just a shock," the actor told People in February 2024, reflecting on his family’s tragic loss. "[I] never thought it would happen. It shouldn’t have happened.”

The performer became a dad again at 79 years old. “[Gia] is just pure joy,” he told ET in a June 2025 interview. “She’s two now, so as I get older and older—you know. But it’s still always wonderful. Pure joy. What can I say?”

In the same interview, he spoke about the importance of supporting all his children, including his daughter Airyn, who came out as trans in an April 2025 profile by Them. “Well, there's certain things you can do and certain things you can't do, but the main thing is to support your kids,” De Niro said. “As long as they’re not hurting themselves, doing anything destructive or anything like that, you have to support them. Period."

His children also frequently show their support for their dad, who’s set to appear in the next ‘Meet the Parents’ sequel alongside Ben Stiller and Ariana Grande. Here’s everything to know about Robert De Niro’s seven kids.

Drena De Niro

De Niro’s oldest daughter, Drena, was born on September 3, 1971 to his future wife Diahnne Abbott and her then-husband. De Niro adopted Drena in 1976, the same year he wed her mother. 

Since the Taxi Driver star’s career-defining streak only really kicked off in the mid-’70s, Drena didn’t immediately grasp her father’s fame. “When I was little, I didn’t really register what my parents did,” she said in a 2021 appearance on The Up & Adam Show podcast. “I knew technically they were actors, but they weren’t famous. They were working actors at the time.”

Growing up between Los Angeles, NYC, and Italy, Drena soon found herself called to a creative path: modeling. She recalled walking for Patrick Kelly, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Vivienne Westwood before becoming a muse for Giorgio Armani’s Emporio Armani line in an archived cover story for Avenue. Soon, she was the brand’s DJ—and began booking gigs around the world. “It was great for me. I met great people, and it was a really fun way of staying in the business. But I knew at a certain point that I had to condense,” she said.

She decided to pivot to acting before founding her own production company. Later, she became a director, helming the 2000 documentary Girls and Dolls. The filmmaker now spends more of her time behind the camera, although you may have spotted her in a few films alongside her father, such as 2015’s The Intern.

With artist Carlos Rodriguez, Drena welcomed her son, Leandro, on August 11, 2003—De Niro’s first grandchild. He appeared in the 2018 film A Star Is Born as Leo Stone, according to his IMDB profile. Leandro died in August 2023 at just 19 years old. The cause of death was accidental drug overdose, the New York City chief medical examiner's office confirmed to People.

Drena took to her Instagram stories to remember her son on what would have been his 21st birthday. "Happy 21st Birthday up in the heavens cosmos my little angel 👼," she wrote on August 11, 2024 alongside photos of Leandro as a baby. “I never stop thinking of you 🥹♥️♥️," she added.

Raphael De Niro

De Niro and Abbott became parents again on November 9, 1976, when they welcomed son Raphael Eugene De Niro into the world. While he shares two actor parents, the oldest De Niro son decided not to follow in their footsteps in the entertainment industry. Instead, he’s a real estate broker with a specialization in luxury townhomes and lofts, according to his profile on the Douglas Elliman Real Estate website.

With over 20 years experience in the real-estate business, Raphael has made a name for himself as a broker to the stars. He cites past clients such as Renée Zellweger and Kelly Ripa. He’s also a partner at NYC’s Greenwich Hotel in TriBeCa, overseeing “the property’s design, construction and day-to-day operation,” according to his personal website.

Some were skeptical of his success in the industry, suggesting his father’s fame had more to do with it than his abilities as a broker. Raphael refuted the notion in a 2011 profile in The New York Times. “People can say whatever they want, but at the end of the day, no one is buying a $10 million apartment because my dad is Robert De Niro,” he told the publication. “Many of them have more money than my dad.” 

As for his son’s more conventional career path, De Niro notes he didn’t try to dictate his son’s life. “I was very careful not to say anything to influence him,” he said in the same interview. “As a parent, the most important thing is that he’s happy with what he’s doing.”

Raphael wed Claudine Dominique DeMatos in 2008 with a star-studded ceremony in the Bahamas. Page Six reported that they separated in 2015 and divorced in 2020. The pair share three children together. Raphael married again in March 2020, exchanging vows at City Hall due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His wife, Hannah Carnes, is a stylist. 

Julian De Niro

Seven years into his relationship with actress Touki Smith, De Niro and his girlfriend welcomed twins Julian Henry and Airyn De Niro. The two were born just before Halloween on October 20, 1995.

Julian took a serious interest in acting at a young age. He attended New York University’s Tisch school to study drama, double-majoring in math and computer science, according to his Broadway Buzz profile. He also completed a master’s degree in computer science at NYU.

His biggest role to date? Playing a young Barack Obama in The First Lady, a Showtime drama following various U.S. presidents’ wives throughout history. His IMDB profile also lists roles in 2016’s In Dubious Battle and the 2025 mini-series Zero Day. The rising talent even had a stint on Broadway in the revival production of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window in 2023, performing alongside Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan.

“I’m very proud of him. He was really lucky to get that [Broadway part]. He read for it a bunch of times,” De Niro gushed in a 2023 interview on the Kevin McCarthy TV podcast.

The Irishman actor opened up about encouraging Julian and his other children to chase their dreams in a January 2020 interview with People. “For my kids, I tell them, ‘If you want to be an actor or you want to do this or that, that’s fine as long as you’re happy. Just don’t sell yourself short,’” he said. “That’s the most I would say — push yourself a little more and reach for what you really think it is you want to do. Don’t be afraid. It’s important for them to find their own lane.”

Airyn De Niro

Airyn De Niro was born October 20, 1995, the same day as twin brother Julian. She enjoyed a childhood out of the spotlight, thanks to her parents’ efforts to keep her life private. “Obviously no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight. They wanted it very private,” she shared with Them in an April 2025 interview. “They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”

In the Them profile, Airyn talked about her gender identity and how it's evolved. “Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success… I’m like, you know what? Maybe it's not too late for me,” she told the outlet. “Maybe I can start.”

Her father has been outspoken about his love and support for her and the rest of his kids. "I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don't know what the big deal is," he said in a statement to People shortly after she came out. "I love all my children."

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The 29-year-old is an aspiring actress and model, with previous voice-acting roles in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run and Ravenwood Rising listed on her IMDB profile. Her Them cover story also revealed she’s studying to be a mental health counselor. “People of color and queer people definitely need more mental health advocacy and support. So I’m hoping I’m able to do that,” she said.

While she keeps her personal life out of the spotlight, she told PinkNews in May 2025 that she’d recently ended a relationship of 10 years and was on the dating apps Raya and Hinge. She expressed a dream of getting married, telling the outlet, “I would love to have a family one day.”

Elliot De Niro

De Niro and ex-wife Grace Hightower welcomed their son Elliot De Niro on March 18, 1998. The fifth De Niro child grew up away from the camera flashes and red carpets as his parents protected his privacy. In March 2016, De Niro revealed Elliot had been diagnosed with autism. “Grace and I have a child with autism and we believe it is critical that all of the issues surrounding the causes of autism be openly discussed and examined,” he said in a statement reported by People. 

What we do know about Elliot is that he has a passion for tennis. ESPN explored his love of the sport in a 2020 feature celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Special Olympics movement, showcasing how he plays with his best friend, Max. “[Tennis] helps him be more confident when he sees that he is actually good at this,” De Niro said. “That’s the best self-motivator one can have. [...] So it’s a win-win for everybody, especially him.”

Elliot’s mother agreed. “That is the gift you give your child. That is the gift: to be able to succeed within themselves and give them that motivation, confidence, the knowing of who they are,” Hightower, a socialite and actress, said in the same feature. “[If] they have that, they can do so much.”

The 27-year-old beamed when asked about how he feels when he’s on the court. “It feels good, I feel sometimes uplifted,” he shared.

Helen Grace De Niro

In 2011, Elliot became a big brother as De Niro and Hightower welcomed their first daughter, Helen Grace. Helen Grace was born on December 21, 2011, via a surrogate, People reported.

“[Helen and her father] have the most dear relationship,” actor Tony Goldwyn shared with People in 2024. Goldwyn directed the veteran actor in comedy-drama Ezra and recalled a then-10-year-old Helen visiting her father on set. "It was very interesting because he was playing, in our story, a grandfather to the 11-year-old boy Ezra ... and so much of [his relationship with Helen], I feel, influenced his relationship with Ezra. It was a very beautiful thing," he added.

De Niro opened up about being a parent to younger kids while speaking with ET Canada in 2023—in the same interview, he broke the news that he’d become a dad for the 7th time. “I don't think I've ever been a cool father,” he said. “I'm OK. My kids disagree with me at times, they're respectful. My daughter [Helen] is 11 and she gives me grief sometimes and I argue with her and adore her."

Helen Grace made a rare public appearance at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival alongside her father and his current partner, Tiffany Chen. The trio were there for the festival’s opening ceremony and Partir Un Jour screening.

Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro

Robert De Niro’s youngest child, Gia Virginia, was born on April 6, 2023, his first with partner Tiffany Chen. In July of that year, Gia made her on-camera debut in an appearance on CBS Mornings with her mom, a martial arts instructor. Host Gayle King asked Chen how their bundle of joy has changed their lives, prompting a short and sweet response from the latter. “She’s made it more fun,” she said.

Chen, 45, and De Niro, 81, met on the set of The Intern, which De Niro co-starred in with Anne Hathaway. Chen played a tai chi instructor in the film, according to her IMDB profile. It wasn’t until 2021 that they went public with their relationship, as they were spotted holding hands and kissing on a romantic vacation in France. The Daily Mail shared photos of their PDA, breaking the news of De Niro’s new girlfriend.

The actor has shared that he wants he and Chen’s daughter Gia to be bilingual. "[She is] half-Chinese. I want to try to teach her Chinese and show her nursery rhymes in English and Chinese," he told Rolling Stone in December 2023. "I'm trying to have her learn both."

Like many new dads, De Niro has had to adjust his entertainment to match his toddler’s interests. “I spend my mornings watching [children’s Internet entertainer] Ms Rachel with [Gia], and I give her her bottle,” De Niro said to The Times in 2025.