Robert De Niro Wife: Tiffany Chen, Marriages & Kids 2025

At 79, Robert De Niro became a father again — and the world noticed. His partner Tiffany Chen, a martial arts champion more than three decades his junior, gave birth to daughter Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro in April 2023. Now 82, De Niro continues to navigate late-life fatherhood alongside Chen, making occasional public appearances at events like Cannes and Tribeca in 2025. Here’s what we know about his current partner, past marriages, and growing family.

Current partner: Tiffany Chen, 46 · Age difference: 36 years · Number of marriages: 2 · Children: 7 · Newest child born: When De Niro was 79

Is Robert De Niro still with Tiffany Chen?

Relationship timeline

De Niro and Chen met on the set of “The Intern” in 2015, where Chen worked as a tai chi instructor (Hollywood Life). She also instructed Anne Hathaway during filming. For years, their connection remained professional. “When we were working, it was just work,” Chen explained on CBS Mornings in July 2023. “And then a couple years later, we got back in touch, and I said, ‘Oh, I guess we get along… and I guess we really get along.’” (The List). Their relationship turned romantic around 2021, when they were spotted vacationing together in France.

Recent sightings

The couple appeared alongside Billy Crystal and Harvey Keitel in April 2023, with Chen already showing her baby bump (Hollywood Life). Chen was pregnant and photographed with De Niro in March 2023 (Parade). Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro arrived on April 6, 2023, weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces (Hollywood Life). De Niro first casually revealed the baby to ET Canada in May 2023, then made a formal announcement on CBS Mornings that same month.

They attended the Chanel pre-Oscar dinner in June 2025, Cannes Film Festival in June 2025, and Tribeca Film Festival in June 2025 (The List). Their presence at these high-profile events suggests an ongoing, stable relationship into 2025.

How many wives has Robert De Niro had?

First marriage

De Niro’s first marriage was to Diahnne Abbott, a actress he married in 1976. They had two children together: daughter Drena (born 1982) and son Raphael (born 1983). The marriage ended in divorce in 1988 (Hollywood Life).

Second marriage to Grace Hightower

De Niro married Grace Hightower, a socialite and former actress, in 1997. Their relationship spanned over two decades. They separated in 2018, though Hightower reportedly filed for divorce in late 2022 (Hollywood Life). They had two children together: twins Julian and Aaron (born 1998) and son Elliot (born 1998).

The timing of his relationships reveals how De Niro’s personal life has evolved alongside his career trajectory, with each partnership marking a distinct phase in his public and private world.

Who is the mother of De Niro’s new baby?

Tiffany Chen background

Tiffany Chen is a martial arts instructor and occasional actress. She was inducted into Inside Kung-Fu magazine’s Hall of Fame in 2011 at age 26, suggesting a birth year around 1985 (Parade). She won 43 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze medals in competitive martial arts (Hollywood Life). Chen met De Niro on “The Intern” set in 2015, where she instructed tai chi to the cast.

Daughter Gia

Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro is De Niro’s seventh child, born April 6, 2023, when De Niro was 79 years old (Hollywood Life). She made her national television debut on CBS Mornings on May 11, 2023, alongside her parents.

“I don’t do the heavy lifting. I’m there, I support my girlfriend. But she does the work. And we have help, which is so important.”

— Robert De Niro, The Guardian, 2023

What is the age difference between Robert De Niro and Tiffany Chen?

Ages and gap

Robert De Niro was born on August 17, 1943, making him 82 years old in 2025. Tiffany Chen’s exact birth date is not publicly confirmed; reports vary between 40 and 46 years old (Parade). Based on her Hall of Fame induction at age 26 in 2011, most estimates place her birth year around 1985, making her approximately 40 — roughly 36 years younger than De Niro (The List).

Public perceptions

The age gap has been a recurring theme in media coverage of the couple. At events like Cannes 2025, where Chen wore a striped strapless dress and stylish sunglasses while De Niro opted for a conservative blazer, the contrast is visually apparent (The List). Their fashion choices — Chen’s edgy, playful style versus De Niro’s classic approach — reinforce the generational difference in public photographs.

“I spend my mornings watching Ms Rachel with her, and I give her her bottle.”

— Robert De Niro, The Times interview, 2025

Why did Robert De Niro leave his wife?

Grace Hightower split

De Niro and Grace Hightower separated in 2018 after 21 years of marriage (Hollywood Life). Their relationship was reportedly complicated for some time before the split. Reports suggest De Niro’s relationship with Tiffany Chen began while he was still married to Hightower (YouTube). Hightower filed for divorce in late 2022.

Reported factors

The exact reasons for the separation remain somewhat unclear. What is clear is that by 2021, De Niro and Chen were vacationing together in France, marking a new chapter. Hightower reportedly sought significant assets in the divorce proceedings, including interests in the couple’s New York estate.

The overlap between his old marriage and new relationship underscores how De Niro’s family life has continued to evolve even as he remains active in his career.

Timeline of key events

The progression from professional acquaintance in 2015 to parents in 2023 shows how De Niro’s relationship with Chen developed gradually over nearly a decade before becoming public knowledge.

The distinction between confirmed facts and open questions reflects the public’s limited window into De Niro’s private life — much of what remains unclear may simply never become public knowledge.

What people are saying

“I don’t do the heavy lifting. I’m there, I support my girlfriend. But she does the work. And we have help, which is so important.”

— Robert De Niro, actor, speaking to The Guardian in 2023

“When we were working, it was just work. And then a couple years later, we got back in touch, and I said, ‘Oh, I guess we get along… and I guess we really get along.’”

— Tiffany Chen, martial arts instructor and De Niro’s partner, speaking to CBS Mornings in July 2023

For anyone tracking De Niro’s personal life, the takeaway is straightforward: at 82, he’s building something different from his earlier marriages — a partnership with someone decades younger, anchored by a young daughter he’ll help raise into adulthood. Whether that story has more chapters depends on choices the couple hasn’t made public yet.

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De Niro’s partnership with Tiffany Chen, highlighted by their daughter born when he was 79, echoes the marriages and family facts detailing his two prior marriages and seven children.

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