Robert De Niro fans are gushing over his loving and supportive response to his daughter coming out as trans in a Tuesday interview. Airyn De Niro opened up about her journey and decision to speak up to LGBTQ+ outlet Them, taking a serious personal risk during a period of intense anti-trans backlash in the U.S. and abroad. However, she never risked losing the support of her father, who doesn’t see why he would ever be upset.
Robert’s statement in support of Airyn was short and to the point, stressing that he loves his daughter no matter what. Fans, LGBTQ+ folks, and allies alike praised the legendary actor, holding him up as an example of what a coming out response should look like.
Robert De Niro loves his trans daughter
After Airyn came out on April 29, 2025, Robert De Niro gave his response to Variety the following day. And it’s exactly the kind of reaction LGBTQ+ kids tend to dream of.
“I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don’t know what the big deal is,” he said. “I love all my children.”
The Goodfellas actor likely knew about this long before the interview came out. Airyn says she started hormone therapy for her transition in November 2024, and she’s rocked a femme presentation since middle school. In March 2025, tabloids started their chatter about her new look after she got her pink locs weeks prior.
Robert has also repeatedly signaled that he’s not on the conservative train. Among left-wing fans, his beef with President Donald Trump is almost as legendary as his film career. He also supported both former President Joe Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
‘The perfect way to support’
On X, pro-trans users are upholding Robert De Niro as the ideal example of a dad. Not only is it possible to support your kids no matter what the circumstances, it’s simple, easy, and free.
“‘I don’t know what the big deal is. I love all my children’ is the perfect way to support,” commented @YungDagger808.
“It’s as easy as this to be a good father,” said @LilithLovett.
Others pointed out that even though he grew up during a rather phobic period, the actor appears to have no trouble with acceptance, proving to many that age is no excuse for transphobia or any other kind of bigotry.
“A reminder that the ‘they’re from a different time’ line is f*ckin horsesh*t,” wrote @infamouslars.
“If a 100-year-old Italian man can have love and acceptance in his heart, so can you,” noted @Srirachachau.
Robert De Niro and Marlon Wayans: Dads of all time
Robert isn’t the only famous father to publicly support his trans progeny. On the same day that De Niro gave his statement to Variety, the “IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson” podcast published an episode with comedian Marlon Wayans in which he spoke about his trans son, Kai Zackery.
While Wayans struggled with their coming out at first, he soon arrived at the same conclusion as De Niro. And further, he doesn’t care if anyone else has a problem with his acceptance.
“Their transition taught me what real, unconditional love was,” he said. “When they went through the transition, I actually went through the transition of denial to complete acceptance. And it took me a week to get there.”
“I’m going to love my baby,” he added. “I’m a father. I’m always going to defend them. I’m always going to protect them. I’m always going to protect them. There’s nothing anybody could ever tell me. I could lose fans…good. I lost people who are small-minded, small-hearted, and self-loathing, so goodbye. For every one I lose, I gain 150 more.”
Wayans first opened up about Kai’s transition in November 2023 on an episode of “The Breakfast Club.” He framed the experience as his own transition, “going from ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance.”
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
