Robert De Niro Admits His Partner Tiffany Chen 'Does The Work' Raising Their Daughter

In a recent interview, Robert De Niro discussed his parenting approach, explaining that he doesn't do the "heavy lifting" when it comes to raising his six-month-old daughter, Gia, with partner Tiffany Chen.

While reflecting on the concept of legacy, he revealed his admiration for his father's artistry and his efforts to preserve his values for future generations. De Niro also touched on the significance of time with family as he grows older.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Robert De Niro, 80, opened up about his approach to parenting his six-month-old daughter, Gia, with partner Tiffany Chen, 45. 

De Niro admitted that he "doesn't do the heavy lifting," stating, per Daily Mail, "I'm there, I support my girlfriend. But she does the work. And we have help, which is so important."

The "Taxi Driver" star emphasized that he still enjoys fatherhood and highlighted the differences in how he interacts with his baby, older children, and grandchildren, adding: "I [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 ... 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."

Elsewhere in the interview, De Niro reflected on the idea of legacy, mentioning his father's work and how he seeks to preserve it.

De Niro expresses his admiration for his father as a great artist and underscores the importance of passing down his father's values, sharing: "I think about his legacy. I've tried to keep it going. To me he was a great artist, he was a genuine artist. And it's not like I want to revive whatever he did. I just want my kids, my grandkids, to know who he was, what he stood for."

When questioned about his father's view of his own fame, the "Good Fella" actor said, "I think he was proud of me," he says. "At the same time, a little jealous, or envious, and so on. But he always… He was proud of me. "

Nevertheless, he emphasizes that these complex emotions are normal in families, adding, "People in families have certain feelings. It doesn't mean they don't love the family member, that they're not loyal to them."

De Niro recently expressed his hope for the future, which simply involves "staying alive."

The veteran actor acknowledged the contemplation of death due to his age, insightfully sharing, "Of course, I think about it [death], at my age ... It's not going to stop me, but you think about it ... I'm aware of it."

"The Heat" actor explained how, with the passage of time, he's become more aware of the value of moments, especially with his family. "Every summer, every new season, everything, you say: 'Well, I'm going to use these few months of the summer to be with my kids, my family," he said.

"I can't wait until the next – I don't know what's going to happen. So each thing becomes more important. Everything I do, time-wise, is important. Whatever I'm thinking about doing in two years, I'd better think about doing it now," De Niro added.

When asked about embracing aging, he responded, "I don't mind. I have no control over it. What am I going to do? I might as well give in and go with it."

In July, Chen shared her ordeal with Gayle King of "CBS Morning," recounting her battle with a postpartum complication following the birth of her and De Niro's daughter in April.

She disclosed that she was diagnosed with postpartum Bell's palsy, a condition that left her with facial paralysis, slurred speech, and difficulty eating.

While recalling her experience, the "League of Goddess" producer shared: "My tongue felt strange, it felt a little tingly, it was starting to get a little bit numb. I realized, like, my face just felt weird. I didn't know what the feeling was that I was having. It felt weird."

Looking in the mirror, Chen added that she noticed her face appeared to be drooping and "melting on itself."

Her symptoms worsened over a few days, making speech and eating challenging.  "I was trying to eat. I went to put just a fork of food in my mouth, and everything came out. I couldn't eat," Chen said.

"And then I was starting to slur. I [realized], there's something really going on here."

Frightened, she contacted her doctor, who advised immediate hospitalization. "I lost all facial function the minute I got into the hospital," she concluded.