Airyn De Niro, daughter of acclaimed actor Robert De Niro, publicly came out as transgender in a heartfelt and revealing interview with Them, an LGBTQ-focused media outlet. At 29, Airyn says she’s “stepping into this new identity,” embracing a truth she’s held privately for years.
She reflected on the difference between being visible and truly being seen. “I’ve always been visible,” she said, “but I haven’t always been seen.” As the child of a Hollywood icon, Airyn often found herself labeled a “nepo baby” in tabloids, but she says those portrayals misrepresent her story. Airyn and her twin brother Julian are Robert De Niro’s children with actress Toukie Smith.
Despite her father’s global fame, Airyn says she was never handed opportunities or thrust into the spotlight. “He never gave me a role in one of his movies or took me to premieres,” she explained. “He wanted me to earn my place in the world on my own.” While acknowledging her parents weren’t perfect, Airyn expressed gratitude for the relative normalcy they allowed her growing up—keeping her out of the public eye to let her discover her identity on her own terms.
In the interview, Airyn opened up about her struggles with body dysmorphia, describing a childhood filled with conflicting and hurtful messages about her appearance. “I was told I was too big, not skinny enough, not Black enough, not white enough, too feminine, not masculine enough,” she recalled. “It was never just, ‘You’re just right the way you are.’”
That emotional toll eventually led Airyn to begin hormone therapy in November 2023—a decision she says was inspired by her mother and other strong Black women in her life. She hopes her journey will inspire others who, like her, may feel left out of traditional beauty and identity standards. “I want to speak to the people who don’t see themselves in what’s considered beautiful or worthy,” she said, specifically naming Black, queer individuals in larger bodies.
Looking to the future, Airyn shared a powerful ambition: to become a mental health professional who serves communities of color and LGBTQ individuals. Her goal is to offer the kind of understanding and support she says was missing during her own struggles.