
NYC’s Congestion Pricing Faces A Second Lawsuit from New Jersey
A plan to charge motorists driving into Manhattan’s central business district is facing another lawsuit as a New
1970-01-01 08:00

Robert De Niro’s family: What to know about his seven children and their mothers
Not only is Robert De Niro one of Hollywood’s most famous actors, but he’s also a father to seven children. The Killers of the Flower Moon star, 80, is currently facing a $12m lawsuit over accusations of “severe emotional distress and reputational harm” brought against him by his former assistant, Graham Chase Robinson. During a heated trial in New York federal court, De Niro admitted to “berating” Robinson and calling her a “f***ing spoiled brat”, before shouting “shame on you” at her inside the courtroom. Robinson worked as De Niro’s vice president of production and finance between 2008 and 2019, before she quit over reported clashes with his girlfriend, Tiffany Chen. The Taxi Driver star recently became a father of seven when he and Chen welcomed their daughter, Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro, in April. De Niro revealed the baby news in an interview with ET Canada, when he corrected a reporter who said he had six children. “Seven, actually,” he said. “I just had a baby.” Speaking to Page Six, De Niro maintained that the pregnancy was planned. “How could you not plan that kind of thing?” he said. As the $12m lawsuit filed by his former assistant puts De Niro’s personal life in the spotlight, much attention has been focused on his extensive family tree. Here’s what to know about De Niro’s seven children and their mothers. Drena De Niro In 1976, the Oscar winner married his first wife, Diahnne Abbott, after they met on the set of director Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. He adopted Abbott’s daughter, Drena, from a previous relationship. Drena was born in 1971, and took the actor’s last name when her mother and step-father were married. She became a model, but later followed in De Niro’s footsteps when she decided to pursue acting. Drena has appeared in several of her father’s films, including Showtime, Wag the Dog, City by the Sea, and The Intern. In 2003, she welcomed her son Leandro De Niro Rodriguez with her then-boyfriend, Carlos Mare. In July 2023, Drena announced that Leandro had died at age 19. She shared a picture of Leandro on Instagram with a caption paying tribute to his life. “My beautiful sweet angel,” she wrote. “I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly. You have been my joy, my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life.” She continued: “I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you. I don’t know how to live without you but I’ll try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama. “You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you,” Drena concluded the post. De Niro later issued a statement saying he was “deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo”. “We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo,” the statement continued. The New York City chief medical examiner’s office confirmed one month later that Leandro had died of an accidental drug overdose. Raphael De Niro Raphael is the second child of De Niro and Abbott. He was born on 9 November 1976, the same year his parents tied the knot. He strayed away from the family business and decided to pursue a career in real estate. According to his website, he is a broker at Douglas Elliman and launched the De Niro Team with the real estate firm in 2004. Some of his celebrity clients include Renee Zellweger and Kelly Ripa. He shares three children with his ex-wife, Claudine De Matos, who he married in 2008. They separated in 2015 and finalised their divorce in January 2020, per Page Six. He went on to marry stylist Hannah Carnes in March 2020. Julian and Aaron De Niro Following his divorce from Abbott in 1988, De Niro went on to date actor Toukie Smith. While the pair were never married, they welcomed twin sons Julian Henry and Aaron Kendrick in 1995. Julian also followed in his father’s footsteps, appearing in the 2016 film In Dubious Battle and portraying a young Barack Obama in the Showtime historical drama series, The First Lady. Elliot De Niro Perhaps De Niro’s longest relationship was with actor Grace Hightower, who he married in 1997. She gave birth to their first child together, a son named Elliot, in 1998. In March 2019, the Silver Linings Playbook star revealed his son had been diagnosed with autism. De Niro and Hightower soon became involved in a legal battle when he filed for divorce in 1999 and sued her for custody of their son in 2001. However, the two reunited and called off their divorce in 2004. The couple renewed their vows in November that year in upstate New York, surrounded by A-list celebrities like Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, and Ben Stiller. Helen Grace De Niro In December 2011, the former couple welcomed their second child, daughter Helen, via surrogate. De Niro and Hightower separated in November 2018 after more than 20 years together. Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro De Niro became a father of seven when he and girlfriend Tiffany Chen welcomed daughter Gia Virginia on 6 April 2023. In an interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings, Chen revealed that she was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy after giving birth to their daughter. Bell’s palsy is a neurological disorder that temporarily paralyses one side of the face, causing it to appear droopy and lopsided. Speaking to The Guardian in October, De Niro revealed that Chen does most of the “heavy lifting” when raising their six-month-old daughter. When asked if fatherhood ever “gets easier” after being a parent for quite some time, De Niro admitted that it doesn’t but praised his partner for her support. “It doesn’t get easier,” he said. “It is what it is. It’s okay. I mean, 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.” De Niro also explained how his relationships with his older children are different from his younger children. “With a baby, it’s different to with my 11-year-old. My adult children. My grandchildren. It’s all different,” he said. “I don’t talk to the adult children the way I talk to my baby, or the way I speak to my 11-year-old, though she’s pretty smart.” Read More Maria Menounos felt like she was ‘going to explode inside’ due to pancreatic cancer Mom explains how to raise your first baby like it’s your third Emilia Clarke feared being fired from Game of Thrones after brain haemorrhage Maria Menounos felt like she was ‘going to explode inside’ due to pancreatic cancer Mom explains how to raise your first baby like it’s your third Emilia Clarke feared being fired from Game of Thrones after brain haemorrhage
1970-01-01 08:00

11 Native American Names for Modern U.S. Cities
Chicago may have been named after an Indigenous term for stinky onions.
1970-01-01 08:00

Rangers closing out World Series could be twist of the knife for Red Sox
The Texas Rangers are one win away from their first ever World Series title. But if they win it tonight, it will be a painful reminder of what could have been for a certain AL East team.
1970-01-01 08:00

World Series Game 5 Still On Despite Bad Ratings
Despite some of the lowest ratings numbers ever, MLB is still going on with Game 5 of the World Series.
1970-01-01 08:00

Bankman-Fried Had Bad Hair, But Wasn’t a Villain, Lawyer Says
Sam Bankman-Fried has been unfairly turned into a “villain” and a “monster” in a movie about a grand
1970-01-01 08:00

California Says Electric Cars Now Make Up a Fifth of Auto Sales
One out of every five cars sold in California is now powered by a battery, registration data released
1970-01-01 08:00

Deshaun Watson and the 5 worst contracts in the NFL right now
10 games into his Cleveland Browns tenure, Deshaun Watson's fully guaranteed $230 million contract is looking like a massive bust. But it's not the only terrible deal in the NFL right now.
1970-01-01 08:00

Estée Lauder CFO Defends Company’s Turnaround After Stock Plunge
Estée Lauder Cos. Chief Financial Officer Tracey Travis defended the beauty company’s plans to turn around its business
1970-01-01 08:00

MLB Rumors: Braves-Sonny Gray buzz, Cubs linked to ace, Astros poaching manager
In the latest MLB rumors roundup, the Houston Astros are linked to Craig Counsell, the Chicago Cubs are listed as a candidate for Aaron Nola, and Sonny Gray is a viable option for the Atlanta Braves.
1970-01-01 08:00

Josh McDaniels contract length: How much will Raiders eat?
Newly sacked head coach Josh McDaniels will still be raking in money from his Raiders contract.
1970-01-01 08:00

Raiders fire Josh McDaniels in a midseason stunner
Raiders fire Josh McDaniels in a midseason stunner
1970-01-01 08:00