Photo:KMazur/WireImage ; Gary Gershoff/WireImage
KMazur/WireImage ; Gary Gershoff/WireImage
Robert De Niroprefers to keep his personal life private, but throughout his career, he’s had quite a few notable relationships.
Although their marriage had its ups and downs, including plans to divorce just two years after their wedding, they ultimately stuck together for over 20 years. During that time, De Niro and Hightower became parents to a son named Elliot and a daughter named Helen. In 2018, however, theymade the “difficult” decision to divorce, moving forward as co-parents.
Here’s a look back at Robert De Niro’s dating history.
Diahnne Abbott
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De Niro first crossed paths with Diahnne Abbott in 1975 while they were working onMartin Scorsese’sTaxi Driver. The film marked Abbott’s first credited role, where she played a movie box office clerk who interacted with De Niro’s character. The pair began a relationship off-screen, and in 1976, they tied the knot.
Later that year, De Niro and Abbott welcomed their first child, a son named Raphael Eugene. At the time, De Niro also adopted Abbott’s daughter, Drena, whom she had welcomed during a previous relationship.
Abbott went on to appear in several films alongside De Niro, includingNew York, New YorkandThe King of Comedy. Raphael later toldTheRealDealthat the family moved from Los Angeles to New York in 1986, which was a complete “culture shock” for him. De Niro and Abbott remained married for over a decade but ultimately divorced in 1988.
Helena Springs
Helena Springs/YouTube
Amid De Niro’s marriage to Abbott, he allegedly had an affair with musician Helena Springs. The relationship came to light years later when Springs took De Niro to court for child support, according to theAssociated Press. During the trial, Spring alleged that she had met De Niro at a party in 1979, and they began an intimate relationship that lasted for three years.
In 1982, Springs gave birth to a daughter named Nina, and De Niro was allegedly led to believe he was the father of the little girl. De Niro’s attorney said the actor paid for the birth, and he testified that he saw Nina on “four to six occasions,” all while under the impression that the child was his. It was later found through DNA testing that the woman’s daughter did not belong to De Niro — but in court Springs argued that because De Niro had treated Nina as a daughter, he still owed child support.
The judge ultimately dismissed the claims and ruled that De Niro had no obligation to pay child support.
Toukie Smith
“What’s great about a private life is it’s private,” she told theLos Angeles Timesat the time.
They ultimately split a few years later, though.
Naomi Campbell
SGranitz/WireImage ; MYCHELE DANIAU/AFP/Getty
De Niro dated supermodel Naomi Campbell at some point during the 1990s. Although they kept things extremely private, and not much is known about their romance, Campbell says thatDe Niro taught her a very important lesson in life.
“Whatever they say about me, I have remained friends with all my exes … except the last one,” she toldThe Times. “I saw Robert De Niro just before lockdown.”
Grace Hightower
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De Niro first met Grace Hightower in 1987 while she was working at the Mr. Chow restaurant in London. At the time, De Niro was still married to Abbott, but the pair stayed in touch. While the couple have been vague about what transpired over the next decade, Hightower once told theNew York Timesthat their relationship was “an ease-in,” not “a whirlwind.”
In June 1997, De Niro and Hightowerofficially tied the knotat their home in Marbletown, New York. There were only 11 people at the intimate affair, including De Niro’s famous friends, Harvey Keitel andJoe Pesci. It wasn’t long before they were expecting their first child, and in March 1998, they welcomed their son Elliot.
Over the course of the next few years, things seemed to go smoothly for the duo, who often appeared at red carpet events together. By that time, Hightower had become De Niro’s publicist, helping to run red carpet interference for her husband. Then, in December 2011, De Niro and Hightower announced that they had welcomed their second child via surrogate, a little girl named Helen Grace. While talking about fatherhood with PEOPLE, theMeet the Parentsstar expressed he was excited to get the opportunity to raise another child.
The couple continued to make public appearances over the next few years, often attending events together. In August 2018,De Niro celebrated his 75th birthdaywith Hightower, but just a few months later, news surfaced that they were once again going their separate ways. De Niro confirmed the split to PEOPLE, sharing that it was a “difficult” time for them both.
“Grace and I have two beautiful children together. We are entering a period of transition in our relationship which is a difficult but constructive process,” he said. “I honor Grace as a wonderful mother and ask for privacy and respect from all as we proceed to develop our roles as partners in parenting.”
Tiffany Chen
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In 2015, while De Niro was still married to Hightower, he met martial arts instructor Tiffany Chen on the set ofThe Intern. In the film, she played a Tai Chi instructor who helped De Niro’s character.
Their relationship didn’t turn romantic until 2021, when the two were spotted vacationing in the south of France. During the outing, they were seen holding hands and kissing while on a friend’s luxury yacht. Since their first PDA-filled date, the couple have been spotted on several occasions. While De Niro was working on his filmWise Guys, sources told PEOPLE that Chen“seemed supportive” and “visited the set.”
“He seemed excited to have her around,” the source shared.
source: people.com
