Robert De Niro Jokes He's Putting 'I Tried My Best' on His Tombstone After Raising 7 Kids: 'Please Forgive Me'

09/13/2024 10:01 AM

The actor has six adult kids: Drena, Raphael, Julian, Aaron, Elliot and Helen, and welcomed his seventh child, Gia, in April 2023

Robert De Niro is reflecting on his role as a father to his grown children.

As a guest on Who's Talking to Chris Wallace? the actor, 81, opened up to CNN anchor Chris Wallace about how he would describe himself as a dad to his seven kids: daughter Drena, 53, and son Raphael, 47, whom he shares with Diahnne Abbott, twin sons Julian and Aaron, 28, whom he shares with Toukie Smith, son Elliot, 26, and daughter Helen Grace, 12, with his ex-wife, Grace Hightower, and baby girl, Gia, whom he welcomed in 2023 with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen.

"I'm trying my best," he candidly shared during the Friday, Sept. 13 episode. "I'm going to put on my gravestone, 'I tried my best.'"

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Related: Robert De Niro's 7 Children: Everything to Know

Surprised by De Niro's frank response, Wallace replied, "Really?"

"I was thinking about that the other day," the Killers of the Flower Moon actor recalled with a laugh, adding that he would also put, "Please forgive me for everything that I've done" on his grave.

"Why, were you not a good father?" Wallace asked.

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"No! I tried my best. That's all I can say," he said, noting that his bustling acting career may have gotten in the way.

"I was busy, of course, but I always loved my kids," he continued.

The proud dad celebrated his 81st birthday in August, and his daughter Drena honored her father with an Instagram birthday tribute. "Happy 81st Bday to my Dad and #1 ride or die .. Love you with all my ♥️♥️♥️ #BobbyD forever ✨👑✨," she captioned the post. 

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