Grace Hightower, Robert De Niro’s second wife, and he first met in a London nightclub in 1987. In order to make sure he saw her again, De Niro sent the restaurant management a note explaining how he felt about her.

Despite their intermittent relationship, De Niro’s strategy was successful because the couple began dating. The actor and Diahnne Abbott, with whom he had a son named Raphael and a daughter named Drena, separated in 1988.

While Hightower and De Niro separated in the 1990s, the actor moved on and now has twin boys, Aaron and Julian, with model and restaurateur Toukie Smith.

De Niro and Hightower rekindled their romance after their failed first union, and in 1997 they were married at their New York City home.

The couple made the announcement of their first child together—and De Niro’s fifth—shortly after the wedding. Their son Elliot was born in 1998.

GRACE HIGHTOWER AND ROBERT DE NIRO’S UGLY CUSTODY BATTLE

Sadly, De-Niro and Hightower separated when Elliot was 17 months old, and friends and admirers of the pair were devastated to hear the news.

It was stunning, a close source said, because Hightower frequently gushed about how wonderful they were and how much they loved the child.

The couple’s bitter custody dispute resulted from their breakup. It was reportedly said in the initial motion that De Niro was permitted to visit his son three times per week with a nanny or any other person directly chosen by Hightower.

The actor, however, was not on board; he objected to his wife’s requests and filed for overnight visits with his son. Hightower, feeling the need to defend her son, refuted this, though.

Despite the strain of their separation, both parents had Elliot’s best interests at heart. Hightower and De Niro eventually found common ground, but the divorce was never formalized.

GRACE HIGHTOWER AND ROBERT DE NIRO ARE DRESSED UP

Just as De Niro and his wife’s divorce came as a surprise to their loved ones, so did the couple’s reconciliation.

The singer and actor made the decision to reaffirm their vows in front of their loved ones in order to make it official.

De Niro playfully remarked, ‘So they can make sure this one sticks,’ in reference to the two judges present at the ceremony. Champagne and cuisine from the actor’s Nobu restaurant were served as a toast to the renewed vows.’

The couple increased their family in 2011 by having their daughter Helen through surrogacy. The actor told People that although his children are older now, he was glad to share those early, vulnerable moments with her daughter. He stated:

‘It’s comparable to the time when you take your children to school and as they get older, they no longer want to hold your hand or kiss you good-bye. It is now the good stuff.’

Although De Niro is one of the most well-known actors in America, he has kept his personal affairs private. He and Hightowers have made it a priority to shield their kids from the spotlight, especially Elliot.

When asked if he related to the David O. Russell script, Di Niro had trouble speaking. The Di Niro children have similarly chosen the low-key life as they have become older, though De Niro and Hightower have made a few Holywood appearances with their kids.

Robert De Niro discusses his difficulties as a parent.

The star of ‘The Irishman’ may have mastered the bad guy characters in his movies, but he is a quiet family man outside of work.

Being a parent is not always simple; it has its ups and downs, but De Niro, a father of six, said that it is still a gratifying experience.

The distinguished actor discussed ‘Remembering the Artist: Robert De Niro Sr.’, an honorary documentary about his father, in an interview with People.

According to him, he made it to emphasize the value of family and spending time with them while they are still alive.

Di Niro admitted he regretted not spending more time with his father, who passed away from cancer in 1993. Because of this, he always reminds his children to make time for their loved ones, even when they don’t feel like it.

When asked if he related to the David O. Russell script during an interview about the movie ‘Silver Lining,’ which was based on the director’s true account of his son’s fight with bipolar disorder, Di Niro had trouble speaking.

Di Niro started crying right away and later stated he knew exactly what the tyrant was going through. Russell intervened as well and said that the actor’s response to receiving the screenplay for the first time was exactly as expected.

But when De Niro revealed that his son Elliot has autism a few years later, his emotional response made sense. He stated:

‘Grace and I have an autistic child, and we think it’s crucial that all of the problems surrounding the origins of autism be freely discussed and looked at,’

20 years of marriage for GRACE HIGHTOWER AND ROBERT DE NIRO ends.

De Niro and Hightowers rekindled their marriage before calling it quits. A close acquaintance of the couple in 2018 revealed that they were no longer cohabitating. The source declared, ‘They are finished.’

Helen, 11, and Elliot, 24, are the singer and actor’s two children, and they remain dedicated parents. Elliot is a mature, tennis-loving 24-year-old man. He began participating in the sport at an early age and is currently a Special Olympics athlete.

Tennis, according to De Niro and Hightowers, aided the 24-year-cerebral, old’s emotional, and physical growth. His parents never stop putting forth the effort to meet their son’s needs.