Robert De Niro’s subsequent film, “About My Father,” through which he performs comic Sebastian Maniscalco’s Italian hairdresser father, comes out May 26 — however those that know the Manhattan-born actor say being a dad is his favourite real-life position.
De Niro, who shall be 80 in August, simply introduced the start of his seventh baby, presumably with a lot youthful girlfriend Tiffany Chen who was noticed sporting a child bump final month.
“My jaw dropped once I heard he had one other baby,” author Shawn Levy, writer of 2014’s “De Niro: A Life,” instructed Page Six. “I imply he’s going to be 102 when the child graduates from faculty. I believe it’s loopy. At the identical time I’ve to say he’s completely a terrific dad. In reality one of many signature accomplishments of his life is retaining his children and ex-partners shut.”
De Niro has seven youngsters with 4 totally different girls — two along with his first spouse Diahnne Abbott, two extra with girlfriend Toukie Smith, and two along with his former spouse Grace Hightower, in addition to the new child.
His oldest, adopted daughter Drena De Niro, is 51 years older than his youngest.
On Monday, De Niro — who has starred in movies starting from “Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull” to “Meet the Fockers” and “The Irishman” — corrected an ET Canada reporter who mentioned he was a father of six, clarifying that he “simply had a child.”
Chen is reportedly a Tai Chi teacher who met De Niro on the set 2015’s “The Intern,” through which she performed a martial arts teacher.
The two have been first linked in 2021 and Chen often is the “thriller lady” seen on a yacht off Antibes, France, with De Niro final 12 months.
The actor’s busy love life has included flings with fashions Naomi Campbell and Veronica Webb, “Jagged Edge” actress Leigh Taylor-Young and Tatiana Thumbtzen, who starred in Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel” video.
Though Levy mentioned the actor has managed to remain amicable and pleasant with lots of his exes, De Niro and Hightower had a prolonged and bitter divorce.
In 2018, the actor first filed for divorce from the philanthropist and former flight attendant, now 66, in 1999 — two years after their marriage and a 12 months after the start of their son, Elliot, now 25.
In 2004, although, the couple reunited, and their daughter, Grace, was born in 2011.
After separating once more in 2018, De Niro and Hightower went into divorce hell for years.
In 2021, the actor’s lawyer claimed that De Niro was pressured to work in his senior years to assist along with his estranged spouse’s lavish way of life — together with her “thirst for Stella McCartney” and $1 million-plus diamond rings.
Hightower’s counsel, in the meantime, alleged that De Niro was the one spending extravagantly, touring to social engagements by non-public jet or helicopter.
Under the phrases of their prenup, De Niro agreed to pay Hightower $1 million a 12 months in alimony till she remarries or considered one of them dies.
De Niro himself was an solely baby and grew up with bohemian artist dad and mom in downtown Manhattan.
His painter father, Robert De Niro Sr., was homosexual and divorced De Niro’s mom when the actor was very younger.
Father and son remained shut, nevertheless, and De Niro has been a doting dad to his personal brood.
Levy quoted De Niro in his e-book as as soon as saying: “I like my children to be throughout. I don’t like them to off right here and there until they actually have a purpose or a job that pulls them there. I believe the Italian factor is nice as a result of the group stays collectively, you realize the entire household lives in numerous flats in the identical constructing. That’s good stuff if you are able to do it.”
“The girls with whom he’s had youngsters, and the youngsters, are throughout him,” Levy instructed Page Six.
De Niro’s children with Abbott are Drena, 51, an actress, producer and mannequin, and Raphael, 46, a flashy Manhattan real-estate dealer.
The actor additionally shares 27-year-old twins Julian, an actor, and Aaron with actress Toukie Smith.
In 2016, De Niro introduced that Elliot, his son with Hightower, was identified with autism.
While the actor has clarified that he’s not “anti-vaccine,” in 2017 he questioned the CDC’s assertion that there isn’t a hyperlink between vaccines and the onset of autism, saying that “one thing is just not proper.”
Elliot has turn out to be identified for his accomplishments as a tennis participant within the Special Olympics.
Parents at Manhattan’s stylish Episcopal School, the place De Niro’s second-youngest, Helen, was a scholar when she was youthful, recall him selecting her up each day.
“He’d bike over with a bodyguard to choose her up each day after college,” a mom of a scholar at Episcopal instructed The Post. “He appeared like a raveled outdated man however he was a very doting dad and his daughter cherished him.”
The “Taxi Driver” star instructed ET Canada in May 2023 that he has to stroll a high quality line between being “loving” and “stern” whereas elevating his brood.
“I imply, there’s no manner round it with children. I don’t wish to have to put down the regulation and stuff like that. But, [sometimes] you simply don’t have any selection,” he mentioned. “And any father or mother, I believe, would say the identical factor. You at all times wish to do the precise factor by the youngsters and provides them the advantage of the doubt however typically you possibly can’t.”
In 2020, De Niro instructed People that he didn’t push his children to enter present enterprise— however he didn’t discourage it both.
“I inform them, ‘If you wish to be an actor otherwise you wish to do that or that, that’s high quality so long as you’re completely happy. Just don’t promote your self brief,’” he mentioned, including: “It’s essential for them to search out their very own lane.”
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