Eugene Gologursky/Getty; Airyn De Niro/Instagram

Robert De Niro; Airyn De Niro
Robert De Niro is loudly proclaiming “love and support” for his daughter Airyn after she came out as transgender.

The 81-year-old acting legend didn’t mince words when asked about his daughter’s recent announcement. “I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter,” he said in a statement to PEOPLE. “I don’t know what the big deal is. I love all my children.”

The Alto Knights star shares Airyn and her twin brother, Julian, with his an ex, actress and model Toukie Smith. They are two of De Niro’s seven children, the most recent of which is Gia, whom De Niro welcomed with his 45-year-old girlfriend, Tiffany Chen.

Airyn’s father’s words come one day after Airyn opened up to the LGBTQ+ outlet Them about her transition and living with famous parents.

Airyn De Niro/Instagram

Airyn De Niro
“Obviously no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight. They wanted it very private,” she said of her childhood. “They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.”

Despite their efforts, Airyn, who was born in 1995, noted that she still endured tabloid scrutiny, including earlier this year when paparazzi photos sparked upsetting headlines speculating about her transition.

“Not only did they get information wrong about me… They just sort of reminded me that people really don’t know anything about me,” she told Them. “There’s a difference between being visible and being seen. I’ve been visible. I don’t think I’ve been seen yet.”

A model, actress, and aspiring mental health counselor, Airyn previously came out as gay before realizing that the label didn’t fit her. Embracing her trans identity has also allowed her to more fully embrace her Blackness.

Airyn De Niro/Instagram

Airyn De Niro
“I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me,” she said. “I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.”

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Following buzz from the article, Airyn took to Instagram to address the positive reaction she’d received. “Thank you to everyone who’s been so sweet and supportive,” she wrote. “I’m not used to all these eyes on me.”

She admitted that she’s had a hard time keeping up with the slew of encouraging messages coming her way, describing herself as “literally just a girl with a phone.”