Robert De Niro Opens Up About What He's Learned About Parenting Over The Last 5 Decades After Welcoming New Baby

Robert De Niro in Amsterdam
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Robert De Niro is a big-screen titan, as he's starred in some of the most culturally significant movies ever made. It seems his legacy will live on for decades -- and not just through his work. The Oscar winner has multiple kids and surprised a number of people in May when he confirmed he was welcoming his 7th child at 79. There may be a large gap between his first child, who he had in 1976, and his new baby, but De Niro seems proud of his large brood. And recently the Goodfellas legend opened up about what he's learned from his fatherhood experiences over the years.

The Godfather Part II alum is still incredibly active, as he continues to make massive career moves and public appearances. This weekend, he attended a screening of The Bronx Tale at the Tribeca Film Festival this weekend, which De Niro co-founded. During the proceedings, the actor was asked what he's learned about parenting over the years, which is now particularly significant since he's become a parent once again. He got candid and, based on the comments he shared (via People), it sounds like age really plays into his views on child-rearing:

I have certain awareness — when you’re older you have awareness of certain things in life, dynamics, everything, family dynamics. You can’t avoid learning certain things and how you can deal with those and manage them and this and that, the usual. It's amazing, but I'm very happy about it.

Those are wise words, for sure, and it's interesting to hear that even at this point in his life, he's apparently still learning things. That's a testament to the fluidity of parenthood. I also find it absolutely adorable that the Irishman star is embracing the new-dad experience again at 79. His new daughter’s name is Gia Virginia, and he shares her with girlfriend Tiffany Chen. While his older kids haven’t met his baby daughter yet, the Taxi Driver icon stated that they will soon. He also said that he'd be spending time with his children on this Father’s Day. All in all, they sound like one big, happy family. 

He's not alone in this older daddy experience, as longtime pal Al Pacino also recently became a father again at 83. His girlfriend gave birth to their new son, Roman, this past week. This was allegedly a surprise to Pacino and, based on some social media reactions, he's clearly not alone. I do find it delightfully ironic that it happened around the same time that his friend and Heat co-star welcomed his own little one. Now, I'm just wondering whether either one will host some play dates in the near future. 

Despite having new dad responsibilities, Robert De Niro isn’t slowing down anytime soon, and he has several upcoming projects. Notably, he is one of the stars of the upcoming Martin Scorsese film, Killers of the Flower Moon, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio. The film screened at the Cannes Film Festival last month and was met with rave reviews. He's also one of the stars of Wise Guys, which is a gangster flick from the same writer of Goodfellas and Casino, both of which De Niro starred in. It's set to release in 2024. Of course, amid the work, I'd assume that the star will make plenty of time for his family, especially now that he has a new little one. I'm sure he'll little girl will keep him plenty busy and teach him another thing or two about fatherhood.

You can see the new dad in his latest comedy About My Father, which is currently in theaters, and available to rent on Amazon. Fans of the movie icon who want to revisit some of his classics can read up on the 10 best Robert De Niro movies. For more information on other much anticipated films heading to cinemas later this year, make sure to check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

Caroline Young
Writer

Writer, podcaster, CinemaBlend contributor, film and television nerd, enthusiastic person. Hoping to bring undying passion for storytelling to CinemaBlend.