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Robert De Niro expresses love for daughter Airyn after she comes out as transgender

Published: 02 May. 2025, 20:01

Robert De Niro appears at the world premiere of Netflix's ″Zero Day″ in New York on Feb. 18. [AP/YONHAP]

Hollywood actor Robert De Niro has expressed unwavering love and support for his 29-year-old daughter, Airyn, who recently came out as transgender.

According to CNN on Thursday, the 81-year-old Hollywood star released a statement saying, “I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter.”

He added, “I don’t know what the big deal is,” and emphasized, “I love all my children.”

Airyn was born in 1995 to De Niro and actress Toukie Smith. In a recent interview with LGBTQ+ magazine Them, Airyn publicly shared for the first time about her gender transition.

She shared her struggles of being “not Black enough, not white enough. Too feminine, not masculine enough. It was never just, ‘You’re just right, just the way you are.’”

She shared that she has been receiving hormone therapy since last November.

“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 Them.

Following the publication of the interview, CNN reported that social media has been flooding with messages of support for Airyn.

In response, she posted a message on Instagram, writing, “Thank you to everyone who’s been so sweet and supportive!”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]