Meet the Mother of Robert De Niro's New Baby
Actor Robert De Niro made a surprising announcement in May 2023: He's now dad to seven kids. De Niro, 79, casually mentioned his newborn in an interview with ET Canada.
De Niro was discussing parenting with the outlet when he was asked about his six children. He explained that while he prefers to be loving with his kids, sometimes he has to be strict. As he put it, "I mean, there’s no way around it with kids. I don’t like to have to lay down the law and stuff like that. But, [sometimes] you just have no choice. And any parent, I think, would say the same thing. You always want to do the right thing by the children and give them the benefit of the doubt but sometimes you can’t."
The actor was then asked, "I know you have six kids..." at which point he quickly interjected, "Seven, actually" before simply adding, "I just had a baby."
De Niro first became a dad back in 1971 when he adopted his first wife Diahnne Abbott's daughter. The pair went on to have a son together before their divorce. After that, De Niro had twin sons with ex-girlfriend Toukie Smith and had a daughter and a son with his ex-wife Grace Hightower (who he divorced in 2018).
Related: All About Robert De Niro's 7 Kids
While it wasn't clear at first who the famously private De Niro had just had a baby with, it soon became apparent that he was in a relationship with a woman named Tiffany Chen.
Who is Tiffany Chen?
For starters, the first question on everyone's lips is straightforward: Who is the girlfriend of Robert De Niro? It turns out that she is a martial arts instructor who sometimes works as an actress. It's believed that the two met on the set of the 2015 movie The Intern.
What does Tiffany Chen do?
Like De Niro, Chen has built part of her career in Hollywood. In addition to The Intern, she also starred in a 2010 short titled Good Manners.
Chen is also a martial arts instructor, and she used those skills in The Intern. Her official biography says: "Tiffany took up ballet, Hula dance, swimming and gymnastics at age 5. She added praying mantis and a double knife form practice with her uncle Howard Lee. At age 8, she started figure skating. By age 11, she won three gold medals in regional Figure Skating Competitions. Chen has also won a number of awards in France, the United States and Vietnam.
Chen's father, William C.C. Chen, is a Grandmaster of Yang-style Tai Chi ch’uan. “My plan has always been to learn how to be as great as my father,” the younger Chen told Inside Kung-Fu magazine when she was inducted into their Hall of Fame as Competitor of the Year at age 26.
How old is Tiffany Chen?
Some reports indicate that Tiffany Chen is around 45. But others say she was inducted into Inside Kung-Fu magazine's 2011 Hall of Fame at the age of 26, which would put her at closer to 39. Bottom line: Her age has not been shared publicly at the time of this writing.
How much younger than Robert De Niro is Tiffany Chen?
De Niro is 79 years old, but it is not clear what the age difference is between De Niro and Chen.
Related: Robert De Niro Talks 'Fleeting' Fame
Where does Tiffany Chen live?
A source told People that Chen and De Niro lives in Los Angeles, California, where she has been known to visit him on sets. But fans might have spotted her in New York on June 7, 2023, for opening night of De Niro's Tribeca Film Festival. She and her beau were seen holding hands.
How long have Tiffany Chen and Robert De Niro been together?
It is believed that De Niro and Chen have been together since at least 2021. As reported by the Mirror, they were photographed in March 2023 and it was clear that Chen was pregnant at the time.