During her early years as a disc jockey, Drena De Niro primarily worked for Giorgio Armani as a musical supervisor and consultant for shows and stores. She is an American actor, filmmaker, model, and former fashion consultant. Her breakthrough film directing role came with Girls & Dolls (2002), which debuted on PBS and made her well-known. Later, for Reel New York Series, she was awarded Best Directorial Debut for Documentary at the 2001 New York Independent Film and Video Festival.
In addition to her accomplishments and professional background, Drena is recognized as the daughter of Diahnne Abbott and Robert De Niro. Robert adopted Drena when she was approximately five years old, following their 1976 marriage. Robert de Niro is the adoptive father of Drena.
Drena De Niro Biography
Drena De Niro, a 56-year-old Virgo by zodiac sign, was born Drena Abbott on September 3, 1967, in the State of New York, New York City, in the United States of America. She is the lone child born to Diahnne Abbott and her previous husband. After he and her mother were married in 1976, Robert De Niro formally adopted her; he is currently Drena’s stepfather. Additionally, Drena adopted his stepfather’s last name. She has subsequently refrained from disclosing who her biological father is.
Drena’s mother’s marriage to her adoptive father, Robert De Niro, produced her brother Raphael De Niro, who was born on November 9, 1976, and is currently 47 years old. The couple were married from 1976 to 1988. From her adoptive father’s prior relationship with Toukie Smith, with whom he was married from 1988 to 1996, she also has three half-brothers and one half-sister; they gave birth to the twins, Julian Henry and Aaron Kendrick De Niro, who were born on October 20, 1995, and are currently 28 years old. Elliot De Niro, who was born on March 18, 1998, via surrogacy, and is now 25 years old, and Helen Grace De Niro, who was born in 2011 and is currently 12 years old, are the two children of her adoptive father’s marriage to his second wife, Grace Hightower, who was married between 1997 and 2018.
Drena De Niro’s Career
Drena began her career in the entertainment sector as a model, but as her interests in music and fashion grew, she began to work as a disc jockey and fashion consultant. After leaving the modeling industry, Drena received an invitation to work as a musical supervisor for Giorgio Armani, a musical firm. In this role, she oversaw the creative direction of runway shows that were staged during that time.
However, Drena, then 29 years old, was cast in the now-famous television series “Grace of My Heart (1996),” which would go on to become her first motion picture. She was the first receptionist in the post. She starred in nearly 10 high-grossing films between 1997 and 1999, including “Wag the Dog,” in which she played a gate stewardess. She performed as a waitress in the 1998 film Too Tired to Die, as March in the 1998 film Great Expectations, as Caroline in the 1999 film At First Sight, and as Rita in the 1999 film On the Run. She portrayed Sherie in “Personals (1999),” Lori in “The 24 Hour Woman (1999),” and Waitress in “Entropy (1999).”
“Girls and Dolls (2000)” was the screenplay and director of Drena’s first motion picture. Girls and Dolls is a short documentary that was awarded the Best Directorial Debut Award at the 2001 New York Independent Film and Video Festival. It explores the fascination of a young fashionista with her dolls. In addition to having an impact on the arts and entertainment sectors, Drena speaks up for those who lack a voice. She has served as the public face of the “Kageno Orphan Sponsorship Programme,” a voluntary organization that assists in providing care for abandoned children in Kageno villages.
Relationship Status and Son
She had a romantic relationship with Austin Young, a well-known American photographer, filmmaker, and new media artist who was born in Reno, Nevada, on April 12, 1966, and is currently 57 years old. He is well-known for co-founding “Fallen Fruit,” an art collecting company that leverages fruit as a unifying factor for community involvement and cooperation.
Due to Robert De Niro, Drena’s adoptive father, disliking their relationship, Austin and Drena did not get married.
Despite having a son together, Drena and Austin are no longer together. In fact, they got into a fight in 2011 when Austin’s new girlfriend moved in with him. According to Nypost.com, Austin was walking his dog when Drena—who he described as a Thai boxer—threw fists at him in a fit of passion on August 25, 2011. The drama took place at Downing Street’s Greenwich Village at approximately 8:00 p.m. Austin was not hurt; therefore, despite filing a police report about domestic abuse, no one was taken into custody. But Drena had broken Austin’s potted palm tree vase, his dog was missing, and his shirt was torn.
We learned that Drena De Niro’s lone child is named Leandro De Niro Rodriguez. Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, who is 19 years old and under the sign of cancer, was born in New York City on June 25, 2004, in the United States of America. He works as a film actor and resides in New York City with Drena. Drena’s son is a rapidly emerging American actor who has starred in a number of high-grossing motion pictures, including The Collection (2005), A Star Is Born (2018), and Cabaret Maxime (2018), to name a few.
Drena De Niro’s Net worth
TheThings.com estimates Drena De Niro’s net worth to be $300,000. Despite not being particularly active on social media, Drena joined Instagram in July 2012 and has only posted eight times since then, earning her 17.4k followers.
FAQs About Drena De Niro
- Drena De Niro: Who is she?
American actress and filmmaker Drena De Niro was adopted by Robert De Niro following their 1976 marriage. She is the daughter of Diahnne Abbott. She has acted in movies like Atlanta, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Ozark, and Showtime, in addition to several of her father’s productions, including Wag the Dog, Showtime, and The Intern. In addition, she wrote and directed Girls and Dolls, her own film, which was honored with the 2001 New York Independent Film/Video Festival’s Best Directorial Debut Award. This photo is of her at the Vanity Fair party during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival.
- In what location did Drena de Niro grow up?
On September 3, 1967, in New York City, USA, Drena De Niro was born. Her background was bohemian, and she lived in Italy, Los Angeles, and New York City. Her decision to pursue a career in the arts is thought to have been influenced by her peripatetic lifestyle. She studied acting and music while a student at the John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School. She earned two degrees from the University of Georgia: one in public relations and one in theater. - The Color Purple: She played the role of Nettie, the sister of Celie, in the national tour of the Broadway musical based on the novel by Alice Walker.
- Is Drena de Niro married or dating? Drena De Niro is not married and has not publicly confirmed any romantic relationship. She is very private about her personal life and prefers to focus on her career and passions.