Robert De Niro has issued a heartwarming statement after his daughter Airyn came out as transgender.
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Airyn, one of De Niro’s seven kids, is the daughter of actress Toukie Smith and has a twin brother, Julian. Despite being born into Hollywood royalty, Airyn grew up largely out of the spotlight — and she says that’s exactly how her parents intended it.
“Obviously, no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight,” she said in an interview with Them. “They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.
“Maybe it’s not too late for me. Maybe I can start.”
Now, Airyn, 29, is stepping into the public eye on her own terms, ready to embrace who she really is. “There’s a difference between being visible and being seen,” she said. “I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet.”
She began hormone therapy in November 2023 and says Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid, particularly Halle Bailey’s portrayal of Ariel, played a surprising role in her decision to go public.
“I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me,” she said. “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 described her first visit to a Black hair salon as a powerful turning point: a simple act that helped solidify her sense of identity and belonging.
“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 shared. “It was never just, ‘You’re just right, just the way you are.’
“I’d want to hopefully be an inspiration”.
De Niro, 81, shared a heartfelt statement with PEOPLE following his daughter’s public coming out as a transgender woman.
"I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don't know what the big deal is," De Niro said. "I love all my children."
Airyn has been open about the mental and emotional challenges she’s faced. She described herself as a “late bloomer” and spoke candidly about dealing with body dysmorphia.
But she’s also committed to turning her experiences into advocacy, as she studies to become a mental health counselor.
“I’d want to hopefully be an inspiration for at least one other person like me who is Black, who is queer, who’s not a size extra small,” she said. “I’d want to see more trans women, more Black women who are maybe bigger-bodied or don’t fit the mold of super thin or heroin chic.”
She also addressed the frequent "nepo baby" label attached to celebrity children: “My dad was very big on us finding our own sort of path,” she said. “I would want [success] to happen on my own merit.”