Airyn De Niro, the 29-year-old biological son of Hollywood legend Robert De Niro and model Toukie Smith, has shared that she now identifies as a woman. In a recent interview with Them Magazine, Airyn shared how stepping into a new identity as a transgender woman has not only “brought her closer to her Black roots,” but also the LGBTQ community.
“Stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to [Black women] in some way,” Airyn explained. The aspiring actress, who began hormone therapy in November 2024, expressed both excitement and trepidation about how her transition might affect her family dynamics. “I think part of me is concerned that [my family] will maybe still think of me as the person I was before the transition,” she admitted.
For Airyn, seeing trailblazing trans women like Laverne Cox, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and Jools Lebron rise to prominence served as the inspiration for her coming out. “Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media… getting to see them in their success, I thought, ‘Maybe it’s not too late for me,’” she recalled. “Maybe I can start.”
Determined to be a part of the shift in representation, Airyn shared that she plans to amplify the voices of trans women while also providing visibility for those she identifies with — Black, queer, and breaking stereotypes. “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,” she said. “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.”
Adding her own famed mother as an inspiration, she continued, “Whenever I’m at a family gathering on my dad’s side, people would always talk about how much they love my mom and how memorable she was and how happy my dad was when he was with her. I want to be like that… I want to be remembered the way that people remember her.”
Despite being born into a family with immense notoriety, Airyn has carved out her own path in the entertainment industry, prioritizing her own individuality over inherited fame. “I wasn’t brought up having a side part in one of dad’s movies or going to business meetings or attending premieres,” she revealed. “My dad was very big on us finding our own sort of path. I would want [success] to happen on my own merit.”
According to Airyn, her parents made the decision many years ago to keep their children out of the spotlight, giving them the space to grow without the pressures of being in the public eye. Reflecting on her childhood, Airyn expressed, “They wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”
Read Airyn De Niro’s full interview in its entirety here.
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