Robert De Niro has expressed his “love and support” for his daughter Airyn De Niro, who has come out as transgender.
“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 Variety in a statement. “I love all my children.”
In a recent interview with Them, Airyn De Niro opened up about “stepping into this new identity,” as well as growing up as one of seven children in the De Niro household.
“There’s a difference between being visible and being seen,” Airyn De Niro said. “I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet.”
She went on to say that “no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight. They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”
In the same interview, Airyn De Niro explained what inspired her to go public with her transition, naming actress Laverne Cox as a key influence.
“Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success,” she said. “I’m like, ‘You know what? Maybe it’s not too late for me.’”
Airyn De Niro also discussed being labelled a ‘nepo baby’ in numerous tabloid articles that commented on her appearance and misgendered 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” she said.
Having had an upbringing where she was kept out of the limelight, Airyn De Niro says she never took advantage of her father’s fame. “I wasn’t brought up having a side part in one of dad’s movies or going to business meetings or attending premieres” she said. “My dad was very big on us finding our own sort of path, I would want (success) to happen on my own merit”.
While she is working on her acting and modelling careers, she is also studying to become a mental health counsellor. “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 said of her childhood. “They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”
The Transgender community has faced a raft of oppression from both the US and UK governments in 2025. American President Donald Trump’s executive order defining gender as being assigned at birth has meant many Trans Americans have had rights such as gender markers on passports revoked, sparking anger from star Hunter Schafer and the entertainment world at large.
In April, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the definition of women does not include Transgender women in matters of single sex spaces and discrimination. The music world condemned the decision, while Bridgerton actor Nicola Coughlan raised over £90,000 for a Trans charity in response.
Despite the difficult times for the community, De Niro says that public-facing Transgender women inspired her to start her transition journey. “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 said. “Maybe I can start”.
Resources for transgender communities and allies:
- Switchboard LGBT support line – 0800 0119100
- Gendered Intelligence support line – 0800 640 8046
- Mermaids UK under 18 support line – 0808 801 0400
- Five for Five
- The Outside Project – London’s LGBTIQ+ Community Shelter, Centre and Domestic Abuse Refuge
- Trans Kids Deserve Better – UK action network by trans+ youth, for trans+ youth
- TransActual
- Trans Legal Clinic
- Trans Unite
- Galop UK
- Trans Harm Reduction