Robert De Niro and Toukie Smith’s daughter Airyn De Niro is all grown up, and she’s owning her identity. The 29-year-old came out as a trans woman in her first-ever interview with Them magazine.
The aspiring model came out as a gay man in high school but didn’t begin hormone therapy until November 2024. In terms of what influenced her transition, she credits Black women like Laverne Cox, Marsha P. Johnson, KeKe Palmer, Kat Graham, Jools Lebron, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Naomi Campbell, and Raven-Symoné.
“I think a big part of [my transition] is the influence Black women have had on me,” Airyn told Them. “I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.”
On March 19, the media was in a frenzy when Airyn, who is studying to become a counselor, stepped out in high heels and pink locs. The media broke news about her transition before she got a chance to.
“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 during the interview.
Airyn’s parents decided to keep her out of the spotlight to protect her and ensure she had a normal childhood. The voice-over artist is thankful that her parents made that decision.
“Obviously no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight. They wanted it very private,” she said. “They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”
Not only did Black women inspire Airyn’s transition–her Black mother is also a muse for her as she evolves into womanhood.
“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,” Airyn said. “I want to be like that…I want to be remembered the way that people remember her.”
She continued, “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. 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.”
She also added that she’d like to be on the cover of Vogue with Toukie or recreate one of her pictures. In addition to following in her mother’s footsteps, Airyn wants to be a role model for trans women who look like her and are underrepresented in many spaces.
“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 reflected. “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.”
Robert and Toukie also had Julian Henry, who is Airyn’s twin brother, during their relationship.
