Robert De Niro’s Daughter Airyn Shares Her Transition Journey

Over the course of his many marriages and relationships, actor Robert De Niro — yes, the same De Niro who starred in Meet the Fockers and The Godfather Part II — welcomed seven children, including twins Julian and Airyn (who was formerly known as Aaron) with actor and model Toukie Smith in 1995, before the couple split in 1996.

Like many celebrity kids, Airyn has mostly stayed out of the spotlight. That said, she’s an aspiring model and voice actor, so she hasn’t completely veered away from the path paved by her famous parents. But she fully stepped into the spotlight, and owned it, in April 2025 after coming out as trans in an interview with LGBTQ+ magazine Them.

Here’s what she had to say about navigating her transition, and what it’s been like handling all the sudden media attention.

Like anyone’s journey of self-discovery, understanding and accepting who you are often comes with its challenges — and Airyn De Niro had her fair share. She told Them magazine, "I always grew up a bigger-bodied person ... So I sort of stood out like a sore thumb, and there wasn’t anybody in my family that could relate to that experience."

Still, her parents stood by her, accepting her for who she is. But coming out as a gay male in high school was far from easy, especially while still trying to figure out her identity.

Even within the gay community, Airyn said she felt like she didn’t belong. "Gay men were ruthless and mean. I didn’t even fit that beauty standard, which is thin, white, muscular, or just super fit, masculine," she explained. "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. It was never just, 'You’re just right, just the way you are.'"

Despite it all, Airyn held onto her femme persona — something she really began embracing as far back as middle school, Them noted. But it wasn’t until November 2024 that she began exploring hormone therapy. She said seeing other women come out as trans later in life gave her the courage to finally embrace her own truth.

Her Them interview in April 2025 marked her official coming out as trans, even though some publications had previously speculated about her appearance without ever consulting her first.

While Airyn has been actively pursuing roles on screen and as a voice actor, breaking into the industry hasn’t been easy, especially since she’s not relying on her parents' Hollywood reputation to open doors. On top of that, being trans has made the process even more challenging.

Despite the ongoing pushback the LGBTQ+ community faces from political agendas and society, Airyn is determined to be a visible voice for "queer people of color and bigger-bodied people." She’s also working toward becoming a mental health counselor, according to Them, hoping to be a support system for others navigating similar journeys.

Her plate is full of ambition and purpose, and while she wasn’t necessarily hiding her identity, it seems publicly sharing it has lifted a weight and allowed her to move forward with more openness and confidence.