Robert De Niro’s girlfriend Tiffany Chen diagnosed with Bell’s palsy after giving birth: ‘My face was melting on itself’

Veteran Hollywood actor Robert De Niro welcomed his seventh child with girlfriend Tiffany Chen at the age of 79, earlier this year in April. Now, in her first interview since giving birth, Tiffany has opened up about the complication she faced after the delivery and her subsequent Bell’s palsy. (Also read: Robert De Niro’s girlfriend Tiffany Chen says she faced ‘complication’ after giving birth)

Robert De Niro welcomes daughter at 79

Robert De Niro had shared the first glimpse of his daughter with Tiffany Chen in May and revealed that her name was Gia Virginia Chen De Niro. The actor also shared on a US show that the baby girl weighed 8 lbs (around 3.6kh) after birth. He also added that the decision to have the baby was made by him and his girlfriend and that they were over the moon with the arrival of their daughter.

Tiffany opens up about postpartum struggles

Now, in a new interview with CBS Mornings, a clip of which surfaced online on Twitter, Tiffany detailed the struggle she faced after her C-section delivery. “When I went home, I started to feel like, my tongue felt strange. It felt a little tingly, just starting to get a little bit numb. And then I realized my face… my face just felt weird. It was just like everything was starting to just fall down on itself. Like, my face was melting on itself…. I couldn’t eat. I said, ‘There’s something really going on here.’ I lost all facial function the minute I got into the hospital.”

Tiffany was then diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, which is a neurological disorder that causes severe muscle weakness or facial paralysis.

Robert and Tiffany’s relationship

The relationship between Robert and Tiffany started during the shoot of The Intern. They were spotted together on a romantic vacation in the south of France in 2021. Robert has been linked with several women in the past. The award-winning actor is a father to six children. He shares daughter Drena, 51, and son Raphael, 46, with his first wife, Diahnne Abbott. In 1995, he welcomed twin sons Julian and Aaron, 27, with his former girlfriend, model, and actor Toukie Smith. De Niro also has a son Elliot, 24, and a daughter Helen Grace, 11, with his ex-wife, Grace Hightower.

Robert De Niro will be next seen in Killers of the Flower Moon, where he reunites with his longtime collaborator, filmmaker Martin Scorsese. The film also stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser and Lily Gladstone in pivotal roles. It releases on October 6.