Robert De Niro and his six children from African American wives

Even if you are a superstar, cult actor and twice Oscar winner, but you have half a dozen children, then you are first of all a DAD. 76-year-old Robert De Niro knows what it’s like to be the father of six children!

First wife and two children

For 12 years, De Niro was married to black singer Diane Abbott from 1976 to 1988. He adopted her little daughter Drena, and then the couple had a son, Raphael, who is now 44 years old. Raphael’s acting career did not work out, but he became a successful real estate broker in New York.

Second sweetheart and twins

A few years after the divorce, the Godfather star became friends with the model Tookie Smith (also African-American), although they never legalized the relationship. In 1995, twins Julian and Aaron were born to Robert and Tookie with the help of IVF, now they are 25 years old, and they in every possible way avoid any publicity. Smith and De Niro’s romance actually ended immediately after the boys were born.

Third wife, their son and long-awaited daughter

In 1997, the loving actor married Grace Hightower (yes, an African American and a former flight attendant).

Their first son, Elliot, was born in 1998, however, the following year, De Niro parted ways with Hightower, but not for long. Five years later, in 2004, the couple decided to remarry. In 2011, when the actor turned 68, and his wife was 56 years old, the sixth child, a girl Helen, was born from a surrogate mother.

Alas, neither the second attempt nor the long-awaited daughter saved the marriage. In 2018, the couple finally broke up after nearly two decades together. However, De Niro always calls Grace an amazing mother.

“We have two wonderful children with her. We are getting a divorce, and this is a difficult but constructive process, – said the actor. “I respect Grace as a wonderful mother and we continue to be partners in parenting.”

Nevertheless, the ex-spouses fiercely fought in the courts for almost a year for custody of their youngest child, eight-year-old Helen, but in early 2020 they reconciled and came to an agreement on this issue.

Talking about children, the head mafioso gets sentimental

And back in 2016, De Niro admitted that his youngest son Elliot had autism:

“Grace and I have a son with special needs, and we believe all these issues should be discussed, not hidden.”

The actor usually talks little about his personal life, but when talking about children, he becomes sentimental:

“There are both wonderful and sad moments in their upbringing. Sometimes you are the last person they want to do business with. They get older and don’t want to hold your hand or kiss you goodbye. Most of them are adults now, and I’m glad they live nearby. I love them all, although it’s not always easy with them. “