Robert De Niro’s daughter Airyn opens up about coming out as trans

Airyn De Niro, the daughter of Robert De Niro, has come out publicly as trans for the first time in a frank and honest interview.

Airyn, 29, has spoken to Them about her journey and transition, including having parts of her journey spoken about in the press in the past.

Referencing reports from March about her transition, Airyn, used to more privacy, told Them: “There’s a difference between being visible and being seen. I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet.”

She explained that she started hormone therapy in November 2024 out of a desire to maintain the femininity that she had always had. It’s also something she indicates she had been bullied for growing up in New York.

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Robert De Niro’s daughter has come out as trans. In an exclusive interview with Them magazine, Airyn De Niro opened up about navigating her transition journey and her identity. She said: “Trans women being honest and open, especially in public spaces…” helped her realise, “maybe it’s not too late for me.” A few media publications commented on Airyn’s ‘transformation’ after she was snapped by paparazzi last month, wearing heels and long pink locs – calling her look “rebellious” and “barely recognisable”. Commenting on this, the 29-year-old tells Them: “Not only did they get information wrong about me. They just sort of reminded me that people really don’t know anything about me.” She shared how her childhood experiences affected and shaped her into the woman she is today. She says that she was “ridiculed and excluded by her peers for being feminine, bigger-bodied and different in ways she could not yet describe.” As the child of Robert De Niro and Toukie Smith, Airyn also shared how growing up ‘biracial further complicated her search for belonging,’ although her parents were supportive of her queerness. Airyn adds that she came out as a gay man in high school but faced ridicule for not fitting the mainstream beauty standard – white, thin, muscular and masculine. Her influences include black women such as Laverne Cox, Marsha P. Johnson, Jools Lebron, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Naomi Campbell and Raven Symone. The aspiring model and actor has established a signature look: pink locs and pink dresses or tops. “I think a big part of my transition is also the influence Black women have had on me,” she added in her interview with Them. Airyn shares that she has predominantly been kept out of the limelight, but is keen to share her story and be seen, particularly in the wake of Trump’s executive orders affecting the trans community. She wants “queer people of color and bigger-bodied people to have an Alex Consani” and “a Hunter Schafer.” #lgbtqia #trans #robertdeniro #alexconsani #airyndeniro

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Airyn was also inspired in her journey by other trans women, such as Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and Laverne Cox. She explained that “trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success” made her realise “Maybe it’s not too late for me.”

She also touched on the intersectionality of her transness with being mixed-race, and said that by embracing that she had found a freedom she hadn’t before.

“I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me. I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.”

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Elsewhere, she discussed auditioning for Hollywood roles and how rejecting the ‘nepo baby’ narrative that has plagued the likes of Lily Rose Depp and Ben Platt, and not relying own her family connections, she has struggled to make headway in Hollywood. This includes losing out on the role of Jules in Euphoria – now played by Hunter Schafer.

However, she shared that she isn’t letting this put her off as she works to carve out space for queer people of colour in entertainment.

“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. 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.”

De Niro also spoke of her ambitions, namely inspiring younger queer people, particularly those of colour. “I want queer people of color and bigger-bodied people to have an Alex Consani. I want queer people of color and bigger-bodied people to have a Hunter Schafer.

“A part of me has always wanted to model and sort of follow my mom’s footsteps. Honestly, if I could be on the cover of Vogue with her or recreating one of her pictures, that would be a dream come true.”

Airyn’s father, Robert, had previously spoken about his fears for his gay son in the era of Trump’s first presidency telling The Guardian in 2019.

The Heat actor has also discussed his father, who was gay, in the past. He told Out in 2014 that, “I wish we had spoken about it much more.”

He also said: “For my kids, I want them to stop and take a moment and realise that you sometimes have to do things now instead of later, because later may be 20 years from now — and that’s too late.”