Nine months ago, Robert De Niro gave unexpected news: he had become a father at the age of 79 with his seventh child, Gia Virgina Chen-De Niro, the first child of his relationship with Tiffany Chen. An announcement that went around the world, given the age of the child’s father, but that has not been a problem for the protagonist of Killers of the Flower Moon, quite the opposite.
Months after his birth, the 80-year-old actor has offered a series of carefully worded reflections on his life as a father at 80. In an interview with AARP The Magazine, the actor describes this role as being as exciting as his another six times; but being with Gia is such a “wonderful” experience that he couldn’t even hold back his tears when talking about her.
The actor seems to have a special connection with his little girl. “He’s great,” he said, very excited. “Everything that consumes me or worries me just disappears when I look at her,” he said. “I want to be here as long as possible to enjoy it and enjoy it.”
“When he grows up, who knows? But that sweet way he has of looking at you, assimilating you, thinking, looking and observing…” he added, with teary eyes.
A very desired baby, as the actor himself assured popular journalist Gayle King after the birth of the little girl. The actor and his partner met in 2015 during the filming of the film The Intern, and made their romance official at the end of 2021, in the midst of the controversial divorce of De Niro and Grace Hightower, who was his wife for two decades.
De Niro has six children from his previous relationships. With his first wife, Diahnne Abbot, his first-born daughter, Drena (51) and Raphael (46), were born. They were joined by his twins, Julian and Aaron (27), born from his relationship with Toukie Smith. From his marriage to Hightower, the actor welcomed Elliot (24) and Helen Grace (11).
