Robert De Niro got honest about the realities of fatherhood while navigating an intense and demanding acting career. The 83-year-old Hollywood icon, who is a father of seven, said being away from children can bring a sense of guilt.
Robert De Niro admits he still struggles with guilt over balancing fame and parenting
De Niro admitted that there is no easy guide to parenthood while talking to People. He said, “I don’t know if there is a secret,” adding, “It’s just managing it all. And there’s no way around not feeling a little guilty about not being there at times you should or you think you should.”
The veteran actor, renowned for his intense crime roles and versatile comedic performances, explained, “It’s a new experience. It’s not like you’ve taken courses on it and stuff. You can, of course, but you don’t. You just jump in, and you have the child, and you got to… That’s it.”
De Niro has children from several relationships. He adopted his eldest daughter, Drena, 54, when he married his former wife, Diahnne Abbott. The couple later welcomed their son, Raphael, 49. Following his divorce from Abbott, De Niro dated actress Toukie Smith, and they welcomed twin sons Julian and Airyn, 30. He married Grace Hightower in 1997 and had two children with her: son Elliot, 28, and daughter Helen, 14. In 2023, De Niro welcomed his seventh child, daughter Gia, now 3, with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen.
The actor, who has won two Oscars for his performances in The Godfather, Part II and Raging Bull, is back with a new Netflix thriller, The Whisper Man. In the new movie, he plays the estranged father of Adam Scott’s character. The story follows Scott’s character after his son is kidnapped. The Whisper Man is set to premiere on Netflix on August 28.
Originally reported by Meenakshi Sengupta on Mandatory
