Robert De Niro is opening up on what he thinks it takes to be a “good father.”
The 79-year-old actor, who is coincidentally promoting his new film “About My Father,” recently revealed on his press tour that he welcomed his seventh child.
At the premiere for the comedy, which hits theaters on May 26, De Niro spoke to “Access Hollywood” and shared some tips about fatherhood.
“Sometimes I don’t think people really know what being a good father is,” he told the outlet during the May 9 event.
He quickly corrected himself and added, “Well, they do. You know you have your responsibility.”
However, he said that becoming a dad is a learning experience.
“But look, it’s a mystery,” he continued. “It’s a lot of excitement, but scary. And you do your best.”
The “Godfather” star first announced the arrival of his newborn in an interview with “Entertainment Tonight Canada” on May 8.
“I just had a baby,” he casually said, without providing any more details.
The actor’s rep also confirmed to TODAY.com that he recently welcomed a child.
The proud dad has two children, Drena, 51, and Raphael, 46, with first wife Diahnne Abbott, whom he was married to from 1976 to 1988. He shares 27-year-old twin sons Aaron and Julian with former partner Toukie Smith. De Niro is also a parent to Elliot, 25, and Helen, 11, whom he shares with ex-wife Grace Hightower. De Niro and Hightower tied the knot in 1997 and divorced in 2018.
In his interview with “ET Canada,” De Niro said he would not label himself as a “cool dad.”
“I’m okay,” the “Raging Bull” star said. “You know, my kids disagree with me at times, and they’re respectful.”
Speaking about his daughter Helen and his newborn, he said, “My daughter, she’s 11, she gives me grief sometimes and I argue with her. I adore her, but, you know. And my youngest now, that’ll be more to come. But, that’s what it is.”
He shared that he tends to have a strict parenting style.
“I don’t like to have to lay down the law and stuff like that. But, (sometimes) you just have no choice,” he explained. “And any parent, I think, would say the same thing.”
He concluded, “You always want to do the right thing by the children and give them the benefit of the doubt but sometimes you can’t.”
De Niro explores the themes of fatherhood and family in “About My Father.” He portrays an Italian immigrant father who spends a weekend bonding with his son (Sebastian Maniscalco) before he gets married.