Two-time Oscar winner, actor, and all-around legend Robert De Niro made headlines this week when he became a dad for the seventh time. The Taxi Driver star welcomed a daughter with their girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, in April last year. The couple named the baby Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro.
The 72-year-old actor is already a proud parent to Drena De Niro, Raphael De Niro, Aaron De Niro, Julian De Niro, Elliot De Niro, and Helen De Niro, all of whom he’s had with his first wife, Diahnne Abbott. The pair married in 1976 and adopted her daughter, Drena, from a previous relationship before splitting up in 1988. Drena and her son also pursue acting careers, while Elliot works in business.
In a recent interview with a magazine, the 72-year-old actor gushed about his daughter and spoke about the joys of fatherhood. “You know, it’s so special to have a child of your own. It’s something I never dreamed about, and now that I’m a dad, it’s like, it’s the best thing in the world,” the actor said.
He also explains that the biggest challenge is balancing love and sternness. “You want to give them love and support, but you have to put some distance between you and them because when they get older, you don’t want to be the b—- your parents were when they were your age,” he explains.
Despite being in the spotlight for decades, De Niro has kept a relatively low-key private life. He has had a few relationships and children, but many fans don’t know much about his life.
De Niro has two children with his first wife, Diahnne Abbot, whom he married in 1976. They have a daughter, Drena, and a son, Raphael, who pursue acting careers. In addition, De Niro has twins Julian and Aaron, with actress Toukie Smith. He also has a son, Elliot, with Hightower, who has autism.
De Niro has one child with his second wife, Grace Hightower, whom he married in 1997. They have a son, Elliot, born in March of that year. Elliot enjoys playing tennis and has taken part in the Special Olympics. Elliot’s parents, Grace and Toukie, have spoken out about his autism diagnosis, praising his strength and courage. Hightower is now De Niro’s publicist and has helped him run red-carpet events. Hightower and De Niro are amicable and continue co-parenting Elliot with his mother.
