There was much and more said about Robert De Niro becoming a father last year at the grand old age of 79.

Needless to say, there were plenty of critics when the actor revealed that he had become a dad again with film producer Tiffany Chen. De Niro confirmed the news at a red carpet event last May, sending veritable shockwaves around his fan base.

Yet it would appear that the Goodfellas star is embracing the role of parent to a newborn – in spite of his years – with the 80-year-old choking up when discussing his baby daughter, Gia, in a new interview.

Speaking to told AARP for their upcoming February/March issue, De Niro said: “I’m an 80-year-old dad and it’s great.

“Everything that I’m consumed with or worried about just goes away when I look at her. It’s wondrous.”

Robert De Niro and Tiffany Chen at the 2024 Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards held at the Palm Springs Convention Center on January 4, 2024 in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
The Irishman actor, who recently earned an Oscar nomination for his work in Flowers of the Killer Moon, said that Gia reminded him of his daughter Helen, who he welcomed with Grace Hightower in 2011.

“I want to be around for as long as I can to enjoy it and enjoy her,” De Niro added.

Speaking last year on being a dad, De Niro said “I don’t think I’m a cool dad,” and added that he believes “in being loving with [his] kids,” despite sometimes having “to be stern about stuff.”

“I mean, there’s no way around it with kids. I don’t like to have to lay down the law and stuff like that.”

“But, [sometimes] you just have no choice and any parent, I think, would say the same thing.

“You always want to do the right thing by the children and give them the benefit of the doubt but sometimes you can’t.”

The iconic actor split from Grace Hightower, his wife of 20 years, in 2018 but now seems to have found love again with the aforementioned Tiffany Chen.

De Niro shares two children with first wife Diahnne Abbott, Drena, 51, and Raphael, 46. He has another two – Elliot, 25, and Helen, 11 – with his second wife, Grace. The actor also has twin sons Aaron and Julian, 27, with Toukie Smith.

I think we can all agree that Robert De Niro has proven himself to be an attentive and loving father.