Robert De Niro‘s daughter Airyn is ready to talk about her transition. In a new profile with Them, the actor’s daughter with model Toukie Smith opened up about how she wants to emulate her mother as she continues to embrace her trans identity and be a symbol of representation.
“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,” the 29-year-old told the outlet. “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 or heroin chic.”
The new interview comes after Airyn was the target of tabloid headlines that called her “Robert De Niro’s nepo baby son,” questioning her pink locs and feminine outfit. “Not only did they get information wrong about me… They just sort of reminded me that people really don’t know anything about me,” she said. None of the outlets, she said, reached out to her before the stories were published. It’s part of why she’s decided to speak about her identity publicly.
Airyn shared in the interview that she has been femme-presenting since she was in middle school, but she only started hormone therapy last November after hearing from other trans women who spoke about their own transitions. “Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success… I’m like, you know what? Maybe it’s not too late for me,” she said. “Maybe I can start.”
As she enters this new phase of her life, Airyn said she worries about how her family might “still think of me as the person I was before the transition,” but she looks forward to stepping into this new time of her life with bravery.
“The way [my mom] would conduct or hold herself, the way that I saw her interact with others in public when I was younger, I see myself emulating that in some way,” Airyn said. “Whether it’s just turning on the charm or not putting on a mask, but wanting to be feminine in a way that’s inviting and warm and welcoming.”
Airyn said she plans to continue pursuing voice acting and modeling, although she has struggled to land roles as she tries to build her own path separate from her dad’s success. She auditioned for Jules in Euphoria and a voice role in League of Legends, but is also studying to be a mental health counselor. “My dad was very big on us finding our own sort of path,” Airyn said. “I would want [success] to happen on my own merit.”
After her story was published, Laverne Cox shared a sweet message for Airyn, saying she was “deeply honored” to have helped inspire Airyn in her transition. “I want to congratulate you for embracing the beauty that you are… the beauty that is being trans,” Cox said. “I believe in every fiber of my being that we are anointed… Claiming our transness and owning it is stepping into a sacredness that is really beautiful.”
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