Robert De Niro’s Daughter Airyn De Niro Opens Up About Transition

Goodfellas star Robert De Niro’s kid Airyn De Niro has come out as a trans woman.

Airyn, who was born Aaron, and her twin brother, Julian Henry De Niro, are the children of the Oscar winner and his ex-girlfriend, actress and restaurateur Toukie Smith.

The 29-year-old, who started hormone therapy in November 2024, describes herself as a “late bloomer.” She says her family was accepting when she came out as a gay guy in high school and she’s hopeful her transition will have a positive impact on their relationship. “I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.”

She admits she has long struggled with body image as a “bigger-bodied person” in a family of “thin or fit” relatives.

“I sort of stood out like a sore thumb and there wasn’t anybody in my family that could relate to that experience,” she says. “I was always told I was too much of something or not enough of something growing up: too big, not skinny enough. Not Black enough, not white enough. Too feminine, not masculine enough.”

Airyn is studying to be a mental health counselor while also pursuing a career as an actress and model. Even though she’s following in her parents’ footsteps, she insists she’s not 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.”