Robert De Niro Sparks Health Concerns After Latest Outing: 'Hope He's Ok'

Legendary actor Robert De Niro appeared noticeably thinner and frail during a solo outing in New York City this week.

Robert De Niro, who recently made headlines for his comments on parenting and raising his young daughter Gia at 81, has continued to keep a full plate professionally, but some are wondering if his body is signaling it's time to slow down.

Photos obtained by the Daily Mail show the Oscar winner walking alone through Manhattan on Tuesday, bundled in a dark jacket and cap. While the Hollywood icon has long been known for his commanding on-screen presence and steely demeanor, his noticeably leaner frame and slower gait sparked concern among fans and onlookers.

Underneath the Daily Mail's coverage, readers expressed their worries in the comment section, with reactions ranging from sympathetic to grim.

"Does look a bit off; hope he's ok," one person wrote.

Another comment read, "Now well past his sell-by date."

Others were more direct: "He will die soon, this year I think," one user predicted. Another added, "All that money and access to top private healthcare. My working-class mum looked better than him when she died at 94."

Despite the speculation, De Niro has yet to address any health concerns publicly.

While continuing his career well into his 80s, De Niro has also been vocal about his role as a father, most recently offering his take on the most important rule of parenting.

"The main thing is to support your kids," he told Entertainment Tonight. "As long as they're not hurting themselves, doing anything destructive or anything like that, you have to support them. Period."

"Even if you don't go with it or think that they… you have to support them," he added. "And they have to know that you support them. Always."

The "A Bronx Tale" star shares seven children, ranging in age from toddler to nearly 60. His youngest daughter, Gia, is just 2 years old and was welcomed with his girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, 45.

Alongside his decades-long Hollywood career and personal life, Robert De Niro has become just as well-known for his outspoken political views, never shying away from using his platform to speak out.

The actor has been an unapologetic critic of President Donald Trump, often calling him out during interviews, award show appearances, and public speeches. He famously declared "F-ck Trump" on stage at the 2018 Tony Awards, earning a standing ovation and a wave of backlash in equal measure.

In more recent years, he's doubled down on his stance, referring to Trump as "a danger" and accusing his supporters of ignoring the truth.

"In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted," he said, per The Guardian, during the opening ceremony of the 78th film festival in France earlier this year. "That affects all of us here, because art is the crucible that brings people together, like tonight. Art looks for truth. Art embraces diversity. That's why art is a threat."

"That's why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists," he continued. "America's philistine president ha[s] had himself appointed head of one of our premier cultural institutions [the Kennedy Center]. He has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities, and education."

The "Raging Bull" star went on to accuse Trump, who had recently announced a 100% tariff on films made outside the U.S., of attempting to suppress creativity and dismantle cultural institutions.

"America's philistine president has had himself appointed head of one of our premier cultural institutions," De Niro continued. "He has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities, and education. You can't put a price on creativity, but apparently, you can put a tariff on it."

Calling the attacks on the arts "unacceptable," De Niro made it clear that, in his view, this wasn't just a political issue for America, but a crisis affecting the global creative community.

"This isn't just an American problem," he warned. "It's a global one. Like a film, we can't just all sit back and watch. We have to act, and we have to act now."

De Niro ended his speech with a passionate plea for activism and democratic engagement: "It's time for everyone who cares about liberty to organize, to protest, and when there are elections. Vote."

The speech was met with thunderous applause, with many in the audience rising to their feet.