Robert De Niro is pushing again towards the “nepo child” concept that having a well-known mother or father makes an performing profession straightforward.
The 83-year-old actor helps his youngsters following him into leisure, however he says expertise alone is just not sufficient. The Oscar winner says his youngsters can truly face extra stress due to his success.
Robert De Niro has seven youngsters he shares with totally different girls. A few of his youngsters have adopted his path into the leisure trade whereas others have constructed careers elsewhere.
De Niro helps his youngsters pursuing performing, however he is aware of firsthand that the trade is tough. He mentioned alternatives have elevated now, not like when he was younger, but getting performing jobs stays simply as difficult. The actor defined that youngsters of well-known performers can face added stress to show themselves.
Individuals could watch them extra intently and count on them to reveal that they’re severe in regards to the craft. “In case you don’t seem like you’re actually honest about it and busting your ass and dealing arduous, it’ll have a destructive influence,” De Niro mentioned. He added that real dedication can ultimately work of their favor.
De Niro presently stars alongside Adam Scott in Netflix’s “The Whisper Man.” Within the movie, Scott performs a person with a unconscious need to be like his estranged father, reflecting a dynamic each actors have skilled as their youngsters contemplate performing.
De Niro’s daughter Drena has greater than 45 performing credit, together with “A Star Is Born” and “Pleasure.” His son Julian additionally acted in “In Doubtful Battle” and performed a younger Barack Obama in “The First Girl.” PEOPLE reported that De Niro’s predominant recommendation stays easy: work arduous since you genuinely need the profession.
De Niro’s Daughter Rejected The ‘Nepo Child’ Label
Airyn has strongly rejected the concept her father’s fame handed her an leisure profession. Her feedback got here after media shops reported on her transition with out contacting her first.
Airyn was photographed visiting her father at The Greenwich Lodge, after which experiences centered closely on her look and labeled her a “nepo child.”
The mannequin mentioned the protection acquired details about her incorrect and reminded her that folks knew little or no about her. She defined that her mother and father intentionally stored her childhood personal.
“I wasn’t introduced up having a aspect half in considered one of Dad’s motion pictures or going to enterprise conferences or attending premieres. My dad was very massive on us discovering our personal type of path. I might need [success] to occur by myself benefit,” Airyn mentioned.
In 2025, she additionally revealed that she had spent seven years pursuing voice performing and modeling. She mentioned she was usually rejected or ghosted by casting administrators and refused to depend on her father’s affect to get forward.
Airyn additionally mentioned being transgender made that course of tougher. She described battling physique dysmorphia and conflicting expectations about her look, saying she was repeatedly made to really feel both “an excessive amount of” or “not sufficient.”
Airyn started hormone remedy in November 2024. She mentioned she hoped her expertise may encourage different Black, queer girls who don’t match slender magnificence requirements. The Blast reported that Airyn wished any success she achieved to be on her personal benefit.
Robert De Niro Helps His Daughter’s Transition
“The Wizard of Lies” actor didn’t deal with his daughter’s transition as one thing that modified his relationship along with her. He publicly made clear that his love and assist remained intact.
“I liked and supported Aaron as my son, and now I really like and assist Airyn as my daughter,” he mentioned. De Niro additionally questioned why her transition was being handled as such a serious concern, including that he loves all his youngsters.
Airyn mentioned she was grateful that each of her mother and father had protected her from the highlight whereas she was rising up. She credited that privateness with giving her a childhood that was as regular as attainable.
After her story grew to become public, Airyn thanked individuals who supported her. She admitted that she was not accustomed to having so many eyes on her and appreciated those that responded kindly.
She additionally addressed questions on whether or not she had expertise illustration. Airyn defined that she was primarily dealing with issues herself, saying she was “actually only a lady with a cellphone” and may miss some messages. Her expertise additionally confirmed why she wished management over her personal story.
After being uncovered with out her consent, she selected to talk publicly on her personal phrases and clarify who she was past being the well-known actor’s daughter, as shared by The Blast.
The Oscar-Profitable Actor’s Guilt As A Father
De Niro revealed the difficulties of being a father whereas sustaining such a demanding profession. As a father of seven, he acknowledged that he has some self-doubt with regards to being a gift father. He mentioned there isn’t a secret components for balancing work and household. The Hollywood actor mentioned it comes all the way down to managing all the pieces and accepting that some moments will inevitably be tough.
The actor shares seven youngsters with 4 totally different girls. He adopted Drena after marrying her mom, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976, and later welcomed Raphael with Abbott earlier than they divorced in 1988.
The Blast revealed that De Niro additionally shares twins Julian and Airyn with former accomplice Toukie Smith. He later welcomed Elliot and Helen with Grace Hightower, earlier than having his youngest little one, Gia, with Tiffany Chen in 2023.
De Niro has maintained that he has at all times liked his youngsters. He has additionally mentioned that he doesn’t consider he put his profession above them, regardless that his work stored him extraordinarily busy. “I used to be busy, after all, however I at all times liked my youngsters,” he revealed in a 2024 interview on “The Chris Wallace Present.”
His method to parenting has been to assist his youngsters whereas permitting them to seek out their very own means. That philosophy seems to increase past performing, as his youngsters have pursued very totally different paths.
Robert De Niro’s Youngsters Have Constructed Lives Past His Shadow
Raphael’s profession provides one other instance of De Niro’s method to elevating youngsters underneath the burden of a well-known surname. Regardless of having an A-list father, Raphael labored a number of jobs earlier than coming into the true property trade. He labored folding rugs at a retailer, served as a manufacturing assistant for his father, and labored as a busboy at Nobu.
The expertise gave him duty and helped him keep away from changing into what his mother and father feared could be a typical Hollywood little one. Raphael ultimately entered luxurious actual property and in addition grew to become his father’s enterprise accomplice—the 2 co-own The Greenwich Lodge in Tribeca with different companions.
Airyn’s expertise has adopted a unique route. She has emphasised that she needs her profession and identification to exist independently from her father’s fame, whereas nonetheless recognizing the assist he has given her.
She has described De Niro’s assist as “nonstop” and mentioned he has been accepting of her identification and selections. Airyn even mentioned he “needs to be the usual” with regards to fatherhood.
Robert De Niro being a well-known father doesn’t take away each impediment from his youngsters’s path.
