In a recent interview with Them, Robert De Niro’s daughter, Airyn, publicly shared her experience as a transgender woman. Airyn, who has largely stayed out of the public eye, is one of De Niro’s seven children and the daughter of actress Toukie Smith, as well as the twin sister of Julian. “No parent is perfect, but I appreciate that mine kept me out of the spotlight,” she said. “They always said they wanted me to have a normal childhood.” Still, she acknowledged that being De Niro’s daughter draws attention, much of it based on assumptions. “It reminded me how little people actually know about me,” she said of recent media inaccuracies.

Airyn spoke candidly about her journey with identity and body image. Although often perceived as a “nepo baby,” she emphasized that she forged her own path. “My dad encouraged us to create our own lives,” she said. Growing up, she was often criticized for being “too much” or “not enough” of something. Last November, she began hormone therapy, influenced by her mother and the resilience of Black women. Now studying to be a mental health counselor, she hopes to support queer and marginalized communities.