Robert De Niro has shared his feelings about his children following in his footsteps.
The 83-year-old actor has seven children: Drena, 54, Raphael, 49, Julian, 30, Airyn, 30, Elliot, 28, Helen, 14, and Gia, 3. Drena and Julian are both actors with numerous credits to their names.
De Niro said told People he’s “OK” with his children pursuing acting careers, but added: “It’s just not as easy as you would think.”
Speaking of the pressures his children face because of their famous father, he said: “It’s a commitment. And you have to show, especially if you’re a kid in a situation like mine or Adam [Scott], people, no matter what [the kids] say, how they behave, what they do, they’re saying, ‘Show me.’
“And if you don’t look like you’re really sincere about it and busting your ass and working hard, it’ll have a negative impact,” he said. “If you really can, over time, cumulatively impress people that you really are sincere about it and will go the distance, then it’ll work the other way 10 times.”
open image in galleryDe Niro continued: “The most important thing is to work hard because you really want to do it.
“And you really are committed. It’s not easy … It’s hard, and you have to work hard to get somewhere. And even then, there’s no guarantee.”
The two-time Oscar winner stars alongside Scott in the new Netflix film The Whisper Man. He plays Scott’s estranged father in the crime thriller, which explores themes of parenting and fatherhood.
De Niro previously spoke about parenting his children in 2025, telling Entertainment Tonight: “The main thing is to support your kids. As long as they’re not hurting themselves, doing anything destructive or anything like that, you have to support them — period.
open image in gallery“Even if you don’t go with it or think that they … you have to support them. And they have to know that you support them. Always.”
De Niro shares his youngest daughter, Gia, with girlfriend Tiffany Chen. The two worked together on the 2016 film The Intern and became romantically linked in 2021.
He was previously married to Diahnne Abbott. They have a son, Raphael; De Niro also adopted Abbott’s daughter Drena.
De Niro also shares twins Julian and Airyn with ex-girlfriend Toukie Smith. He then was married to Grace Hightower, with whom he had Elliot and Helen.