“I Don’t Think I’ve Been Seen Yet”: Robert De Niro’s Daughter Airyn Comes Out As Transgender

Airyn De Niro, daughter of legendary actor Robert De Niro and Toukie Smith, has publicly come out as a transgender woman. In a candid interview with Them, the 29-year-old aspiring model shared her journey of self-discovery, reflections on body image, and the challenges of navigating identity — both as a trans woman and the child of a Hollywood icon.

“There’s a difference between being visible and being seen. I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet,” Airyn said, reflecting on recent media coverage that she says misrepresented her. “They just sort of reminded me that people really don’t know anything about me.”

Airyn and her twin brother Julian are two of De Niro’s seven children. Despite being the daughter of an Oscar-winning actor, Airyn made it clear that her life hasn’t been defined by fame. Pushing back against the “nepo baby” tag, she said, “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… I would want [success] to happen on my own merit.”

She also expressed gratitude toward her parents for prioritizing a grounded upbringing. “Obviously, no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight. They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”

In the interview, Airyn spoke openly about the insecurities and struggles she faced while growing up — especially with regard to body image and societal expectations. “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,” she shared. “It was never just, ‘You’re just right, just the way you are.’”

Robert De Niro’s daughter Airyn comes out as transgnder in first-ever interview pic.twitter.com/E3pB4z22Kb

— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) April 30, 2025

She revealed that she began hormone therapy in November last year, influenced by her mother and other strong Black women. “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,” Airyn said. Adding, “I’d want to see more trans women, more Black women who are maybe bigger-bodied or don’t fit the mould of super thin or heroin chic.”

Alongside her modelling career, Airyn is currently studying to become a mental health counsellor. Her goal is to support underrepresented communities, especially queer and BIPOC individuals. “People of colour and queer people definitely need more mental health advocacy and support. So, I’m hoping I’m able to do that,” she said.

See Also: Robert De Niro Opens Up About His OTT Debut Zero Day