Robert De Niro Wife: What Most People Get Wrong

If you’re looking for a current Robert De Niro wife, you’re going to be searching for a long time. He doesn't have one. Not right now, anyway. Honestly, the legendary actor has been through the ringer with two high-profile marriages that ended in very loud, very expensive divorces. People often get confused because they see him on red carpets with a stunning woman and assume they’ve tied the knot.

They haven't.

Since 2021, De Niro has been in a committed relationship with Tiffany Chen. She is a powerhouse in her own right—a martial arts champion with enough gold medals to fill a suitcase. But despite the whispers and the fact that they share a young daughter, they haven't walked down the aisle. De Niro seems to be enjoying a different pace these days.

The messy truth about the Grace Hightower era

You can’t talk about his personal life without mentioning Grace Hightower. This was the big one. They were together for over twenty years, which is basically an eternity in Hollywood. They met in London back in 1987 while she was working at a high-end restaurant. It wasn't exactly a smooth ride from the start.

They married in 1997, but by 1999, De Niro had already filed for divorce. It was nasty. They fought over their son, Elliot, and things looked finished. Then, in a twist straight out of a movie, they reconciled. They even renewed their vows in 2004 in front of a star-studded crowd.

But the second act didn't have a happy ending.

By 2018, they split for good. The legal battle that followed was brutal. Lawyers were arguing over credit card limits and whether De Niro was being forced to take every acting job offered just to keep up with Grace's lifestyle. It was a "constructive process," as De Niro called it in a statement, but most people just saw a very public, very painful ending to a long-term partnership.

Who is Tiffany Chen?

After the dust settled from his second divorce, De Niro found something new on the set of The Intern in 2015. That’s where he met Tiffany Chen. She wasn't an actress by trade; she was brought in to teach his character Tai Chi. She’s the daughter of Grandmaster William C.C. Chen, so she knows her stuff.

They weren't "a thing" immediately. It took years.

It wasn't until August 2021 that they were spotted holding hands in the South of France. Since then, she’s been his constant companion. She was by his side at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where he was honored with the Palme d'Or. They looked happy. Low-key, but happy.

The biggest surprise? In May 2023, at the age of 79, De Niro casually corrected an interviewer who said he had six kids. "Seven, actually. I just had a baby," he said. That baby is Gia Virginia Chen-De Niro.

Postpartum struggles and Bell's palsy

Life with a newborn wasn't all red carpets and lullabies. Tiffany was incredibly brave about a health scare she had right after Gia was born. She developed Bell's palsy, a condition that causes temporary facial paralysis.

• It started with a tingly tongue.
• Then her face felt "weird."
• Soon, she couldn't even eat without food falling out of her mouth.

She went on CBS Mornings and spoke with Gayle King about it. It’s a scary thing for anyone, let alone someone who is suddenly under the global microscope as the partner of one of the world's most famous men. She handled it with a lot of grace, honestly.

The first marriage: Diahnne Abbott

Long before the tabloid drama of the 2000s, there was Diahnne Abbott. They married in 1976. This was the era of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. Diahnne was an actress and singer, and they shared a son, Raphael. De Niro also adopted her daughter, Drena.

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They were the "it" couple of a different time. They stayed together for 12 years before divorcing in 1988. Unlike his later relationships, this one stays mostly in the history books, but it established De Niro’s lifelong pattern: he stays close to his kids. No matter how messy the breakups get with the mothers, he is a present father.

The 2026 perspective on his family life

As of early 2026, Robert De Niro’s life is a fascinating mix of old and new. He’s 82 now. He’s watching Ms. Rachel on YouTube with his toddler, Gia. He’s supporting his daughter Airyn, who recently came out as trans. He’s still acting at a prolific rate, but the vibe is different.

The search for a "Robert De Niro wife" usually stems from a misunderstanding of his current status. He has two ex-wives and a current partner who seems to be his rock.

What you should take away from this:

• Marital Status: He is currently unmarried.
• Current Partner: Tiffany Chen, a martial arts expert and mother of his seventh child.
• Legal Status: His divorce from Grace Hightower was one of the most expensive and drawn-out in celebrity history.
• Family Dynamic: He manages a massive, blended family of seven children spanning several decades.

If you want to understand the man, look at the women he’s chosen. They are all strong, independent, and often talented in fields far away from the Hollywood machine. Whether he ever decides to make Tiffany Chen "wife number three" is anyone's guess, but for now, they seem perfectly content without the paperwork.

Next Steps for Readers:

To get the full picture of the De Niro legacy, track his current projects like Wise Guys. His work ethic remains tied to his family commitments, and seeing how his roles have shifted since becoming a father again at 80 provides real insight into his current mindset. You can also follow Tiffany Chen’s advocacy for Bell’s palsy awareness, which has become a significant part of her public platform since 2023.