Robert De Niro: 5 unknown facts about Oscar-winning actor who became father at 79
Robert De Niro has welcomed another child, making him a father of seven children. The 79-year-old made the announcement during an interview while promoting his new film, 'About My Father'.
"I know you have six kids," the interviewer said. "Seven, actually. I just had a baby," De Niro quickly corrected as per ET Canada. Here are 5 unknown facts about Robert De Niro who became a father at 79.
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5 unknown facts about Robert De Niro
Early life of the actor
Robert Anthony De Niro was born on August 17, 1943, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, the only child of painters Virginia Admiral and Robert De Niro Sr. His father was of Irish and Italian descent, while his mother had Dutch, English, French, and German ancestry. His parents, who met at Hans Hofmann's painting courses in Provincetown, Massachusetts, divorced when he was two years old after his father revealed that he was gay. He was raised by his mother in the Greenwich Village and Little Italy neighborhoods of Manhattan. His father resided nearby and remained close to De Niro during his upbringing. Because of his pale complexion, De Niro was nicknamed "Bobby Milk" and befriended many children in Little Italy.
Dating and married life
Robert has only been married twice with Diahnne Abbott and Grace Hightower but has had two high-profile romances outside of marriage. DeNiro was also involved with model Toukie Smith. In the late 2020s, he started dating Tiffany Chen. The couple welcomed their first child in May 2023. Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford have also been rumored to have dated De Niro, according to StarSunfolded.
7 children from several different partners over the years
De Niro and his first wife, Diahnne Abbott, have two children. The actor shares a daughter Drena, 51, whom he adopted in 1971 with his ex-wife, Diahnne Abbott, and a son, Raphael, 46. From his second marriage to his previous wife, Grace Hightower, who he was married to for over two decades, he has a son, Elliot, 24, and a daughter, Helen Grace, 11. In 1995, he welcomed twins Julian and Aaron, 27, with his former girlfriend Toukie Smith. In 2023, Robert and Tiffany Chen welcomed his seventh child.
De Niro dropped out of school at age 16
De Niro dropped out of school at the age of 16 to attend the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting. After appearing in a few Off-Broadway plays, he made his film debut in Brian De Palma's 'The Wedding Party' (1963) which was released in 1969.
He also owns several restaurants in New York City
De Niro, one of America's most beloved actor owns several restaurant businesses by co-owning Locanda Verde. This is not De Niro's first foray into owning restaurants. He also has a role in the famed Tribeca Grill and Nobu.