Being romantically involved with Robert De Niro, one of Hollywood’s revered actors, put Tiffany Chen in the spotlight. Agreeably, a decade ago, Chen wasn’t a name many film or television audiences were familiar with. However, she made headlines in 2023 after Robert De Niro casually revealed he recently welcomed a child.
As a famous actor and film producer, De Niro’s age was public knowledge. With the actor being a new father at age 79, the spotlight quickly fell on Tiffany Chen, Robert De Niro’s girlfriend and mother of his new child. Here’s everything to know about Robert De Niro’s girlfriend, Tiffany Chen.
Tiffany Chen Is Grandmaster William C.C. Chen’s Daughter
Tiffany Chen’s father is Grandmaster William C.C. Chen. Although not a famous name, he’s quite popular in New York amongst martial arts enthusiasts. William C.C. Chen is a Grandmaster of Yang-style tai chi, with hundreds of students around the world. William C.C. Chen was born in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, in China. Her father became interested in tai chi after his family moved to Taiwan. William C.C. Chen studied under Prof. Cheng Man-Ch’ing and was one of the Prof.’s favorite disciples. William C.C. Chen’s passion for martial arts greatly influenced Tiffany Chen to follow in his footsteps.
Tiffany Chen Is A Martial Arts Instructor
Tiffany Chen is known in Hollywood as a martial arts professional. As a renowned instructor, Chen has worked with several producers, directors, and actors on and off screen. Like her father, Chen is a master of tai chi. Although the fighting style is famous for combat and self-defense, Chen has no interest in using it for fighting.
In her words to Inside Kung-Fu magazine, “I never practiced tai chi with the intention of looking to fight. I learned the form, I learned some push hands and then I started competing in push hands.” She added, “My plan has always been to learn how to be as great as my father.”
Tiffany Chen Had An Active Childhood
Tiffany Chen’s father had a great influence on her early life and career choices. Before becoming a martial arts instructor, Tiffany Chen spent her early years as an active child. At age 5, Chen picked up dancing, specifically ballet and Hula dancing. At the same time, she became interested in gymnastics and swimming.
Before she turned 10, Tiffany Chen was already training in martial arts. With help from her uncle, she began practicing the praying mantis and a double knife form of Kung Fu. In all of this, Chen also picked up figure skating at age 8. As a sport she truly enjoyed, she began competing in regional and international competitions. Tiffany Chen had reportedly, at age 11, already won three gold medals at several regional figure skating competitions.
Tiffany Chen Met Robert De Niro On A Movie Set
After Tiffany Chen was revealed as the mother of Robert De Niro’s youngest child, many wondered how the couple met or if the then 79-year-old, two-time Academy Award-winning actor was a martial arts student. Tiffany Chen first met Robert De Niro on the set of the 2015 comedy-drama The Intern. Chen has been hired as a tai chi consultant in the movie. In The Intern‘s final scene, Anne Hathaway’s character, Jules Ostin, finds Robert De Niro’s character, Ben Whittaker, in the park practicing tai chi.
Tiffany Chen was hired to help the actors perform the tai chi moves. However, Chen also appears in the scene and is credited as the instructor. Chen and De Niro became close friends during the filming. Despite the almost four-decade age gap between them, they connected on so many things, which easily created an attraction. Although most of this occurred away from the public eye, their relationship first sparked dating rumors in August 2021. The couple was photographed while vacationing in the South of France on a luxury yacht with friends. A photo of Chen and De Niro kissing confirmed the rumors.
Tiffany Chen Gave Birth To Robert De Niro’s Seventh Child
Tiffany Chen became a first-time mother on April 6, 2023. Although Chen and Robert De Niro’s daughter, Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro, is Chen’s first child, she’s De Niro’s seventh child. Robert De Niro’s first biological child, Raphael De Niro, was born on November 9, 1976, to his first wife, Diahnne Abbott.
De Niro had also adopted Abbott’s daughter, Drena De Niro, from a previous relationship. De Niro’s relationship with actress and model Toukie Smith, after his divorce from Diahnne Abbott, produced a set of twins, Julian De Niro and Aaron De Niro. Robert De Niro’s second marriage to actress Grace Hightower produced the actor’s sixth child, daughter Helen Grace De Niro.
Tiffany Chen Was Diagnosed With Bell’s Palsy After Childbirth
After the birth of her daughter Gia, Tiffany Chen began experiencing a scary postpartum health complication. Chen revealed this to Gayle King on the breakfast TV show CBS Mornings, stating, “When I went home, I started to feel like… my tongue felt strange,” she said. It felt a little tingly, just starting to get a little bit numb. And then I realized my face just felt weird. I didn’t know what the feeling was that I was having. It felt weird.”
Chen added, “When I got home, it was like everything was starting to just fall down on itself. Like, my face was melting on itself. And then, a week after giving birth, that was when it all hit. And I called my doctor, and I … was trying to eat. I went to put a fork of food in my mouth, and everything came out. I couldn’t eat. And then I was starting to slur.” After acting on advice to go to the hospital, Chen stated she “lost all facial function the minute I got into the hospital.” After Tiffany Chen, you can also read about John Bennett Perry, the late Matthew Perry’s father.
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