Robert De Niro just isn’t losing sleep over his daughter Airyn‘s transition!
The legendary actor is backing Airyn with “love” and “support” after she called out media outlets for outing her without permission and labeling her a “nepo baby.”
Airyn De Niro, one in every of Robert De Niro’s seven kids, was born alongside her twin brother Julian during his relationship with actress Toukie Smith.
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Robert De Niro Stands By Daughter After Her Transition
In a brand new interview, Airyn shared her experience navigating identity and family life as one in every of her famous father’s seven children.
“There is a difference between being visible and being seen. I have been visible. I do not think I have been seen yet,” Airyn stated, describing the emotional journey of living in the general public eye without fully being understood.
The Oscar-winning actor made it clear that his love has not modified. “I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I really like and support Airyn as my daughter. I do not know what the large deal is. I really like all my children,” De Niro told Variety.
Airyn also shared what gave her the courage to talk up. Seeing successful, outspoken trans women like actress Laverne Cox helped her feel less alone. In her words:
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“Trans women being honest and open, especially in public spaces like social media. I’m like, ‘You already know what? Perhaps it is not too late for me.'”
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Airyn De Niro Thanks Fans After Opening Up About Her Transition
After publicly sharing her story, Airyn is feeling the love and keeping it real. While discussing with Them, the daughter of the Hollywood icon reflected on her upbringing and her parents’ decision to shield her from the highlight.
“No parent is ideal, but I’m grateful that each my parents agreed to maintain me out of the limelight. They’ve told me they wanted me to have as much of a standard childhood as possible,” she noted.
Following the discharge of the interview, Airyn took to Instagram in a since -expired story to thank people for the outpouring of support. “Thanks to everyone who’s been so sweet and supportive! I’m not used to all these eyes on me,” she wrote.
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She also addressed queries from fans about talent agencies, adding, “For the oldsters asking if I even have representation or signed to anyone, I’m literally just a woman with a phone, so sorry if I miss your messages!”
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The Budding Influencer Called Out Media For Insensitive Reporting
The 29-year-old didn’t hold back as she opened up about how the general public first learned of her transition. She recalled that paparazzi exposed her journey after she was spotted visiting her father on the Greenwich Hotel without her consent or input.
Airyn specifically called out The Day by day Mail for using what she felt were harmful and careless words. The outlet ran a headline describing her as “Robert De Niro’s nepo baby son” while highlighting her appearance with “heels and pink hair.”
Airyn said not one of the publications reached out to her before running their stories. “Not only did they get information incorrect about me… They only kind of jogged my memory that folks really do not know anything about me,” she explained.
The Academy Awards Winner’s Daughter Rejected The ‘Nepo Baby’ Label
Airyn made it clear she didn’t ride her father’s fame to get ahead and didn’t appreciate being labeled a “nepo baby.” Despite being the daughter of Hollywood legend Robert De Niro, she explained that industry connections or family perks didn’t cushion her path into voice acting and modeling.
She identified that she never had small roles in her father’s movies, nor did she tag along to industry events or meetings. As an alternative, she described growing up out of the highlight and dealing for each opportunity. Airyn emphasized:
“My dad was very big on us finding our own kind of path. I’d want [success] to occur on my own merit.”
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The budding star also opened up about how being trans added one other layer of difficulty. She revealed that she was often ghosted or turned away by casting directors, especially since she refused to name-drop her dad to get ahead.
Robert De Niro’s Trans Daughter Airyn Opened Up About Body Struggles
Airyn shared raw details concerning the emotional and physical challenges she faced while transitioning, opening up about body image issues and the pressure to suit into narrow beauty ideals.
She said she spent much of her youth hearing she was either “an excessive amount of” or “not enough” of something. “Too big, not skinny enough. Not Black enough, not white enough. Too feminine, not masculine enough. It was never just, ‘You are good, just the way in which you’re,'” Airyn stated.
Though she had been femme-presenting since middle school, she didn’t begin hormone therapy until November of last 12 months. The delay, she explained, was partly about timing and partly about wanting to preserve her sense of femininity as she aged.
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Greater than anything, she hoped her story would help others going through similar struggles. In her own words, “I’d need to hopefully be an inspiration for at the very least one other person like me who’s Black, who’s queer, who’s not a size extra small.”
By sharing her story, Robert De Niro’s daughter Airyn is making it clear that she is able to be seen, and her father is true there together with her.