Robert De Niro says he has 'no choice' but to 'embrace' ageing at 81

Robert De Niro doesn’t subscribe to the cultural fight against ageing. Instead, he embraces it.

The Oscar winning actor, 81, shared his thoughts on the inevitable process of growing older in a candid conversation on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?, streaming on Max.

"I'm older, you know, I'm 81. Things just change," De Niro said.

When CNN anchor Chris Wallce asked him if he “hate(s)” ageing, the Taxi Driver star replied with a straightforward, "I have no choice."

His advice? "Embrace it. Embrace whatever you've been given."

De Niro has been reflecting about how ageing has shifted his perspective for quite some time.

In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, he acknowledged that being aware of time has made him prioritise what truly matters. "Everything I do, time-wise, is important," he explained. "Whatever I’m thinking about doing in two years, I’d better think about doing it now.”

De Niro is dad to seven children: Drena, 53, Raphael, 47, twins Julian and Aaron, 28, Elliot, 26, and Helen, 12. He also welcomed a baby girl with girlfriend Tiffany Chen in April 2023.