Robert De Niro Says Girlfriend Tiffany Chen Does the ‘Heavy Lifting’ in Raising Their Baby Daughter

Robert De Niro is getting candid about raising a baby daughter with girlfriend Tiffany Chen.

The 80-year-old screen legend welcomed baby Gia — his seventh child and first with Chen — back in April, and recently opened up to The Guardian about the experience of being a new dad at his age,

De Niro admitted that things were “going OK,” but still felt challenging.

“You never know what’s going to happen,” De Niro said of being a parent and the innate mystery of child rearing. “They surprise you.”

One thing is for sure, in De Niro’s view: “It doesn’t get easier.”

“It is what it is. It’s OK. I mean, I don’t do the heavy lifting,” De Niro admitted. “I’m there, I support my girlfriend. But she does the work. And we have help, which is so important.”

When asked if he enjoys fatherhood, De Niro exclaimed, “Of course I do… [I enjoy] all of it! With a baby it’s different to with my 11-year-old. My adult children. My grandchildren. It’s all different.”

De Niro offered similar sentiments back in April when ET spoke with him on the red carpet at the New York City premiere of his film, About My Father.

The Oscar winning actor addressed how dad life with a new baby has been in a comment to ET, declaring, “It’s great!”

De Niro shares his adult children Drena, 51, and Raphael, 46, with ex-wife Diahnne Abbott, as well as 27-year-old twin sons, Aaron and Julian, with former girlfriend Toukie Smith. He also shares son Elliot, 25, and daughter Helen Grace, 11, with ex-wife Grace Hightower. 

Meanwhile, Baby Gia made her TV debut during her mother’s CBS Mornings interview with Gayle King that aired in July. The baby made a brief appearance during the near-10-minute conversation, during which the world-champion martial artist opened up to King about the scary postpartum complication she endured after giving birth.

When asked how her daughter has changed her life, Chen responds that the 3-month-old has “made it more fun” for her and her Oscar-winning partner. 

“Gia, what’s your favorite Robert De Niro movie?” King jokingly asked the baby during her visit, to which Chen replied, “The one in the delivery room, where I’m the star!”

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