11.11.2026 06:30
Toukie Smith, former model and actress and the mother of Hollywood star Robert De Niro's twin children, has died at the age of 74. It was announced that Smith, who had long been battling multiple sclerosis, passed away in a hospital in New York.
Sad news has come from Toukie Smith, a well-known model from the 1970s, actress and restaurateur. Smith, also known for her relationship with Hollywood legend Robert De Niro, passed away at the age of 74. The news of the famous figure's death was announced by her twin children Airyn and Julian Henry De Niro, born from her relationship with De Niro.
SHE HAD BEEN BATTLING ILLNESS FOR A LONG TIME
Smith's children stated that their mother had been battling multiple sclerosis (MS) for a long time. It was learned that the famous model died in a hospital in New York. Smith's death caused grief in the fashion and entertainment world.
SHE HAD AN 8-YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH ROBERT DE NIRO
Toukie Smith had an on-and-off relationship with Hollywood star Robert De Niro between 1988 and 1996. The couple had twins via surrogacy in October 1995. Their children, named Airyn and Julian Henry, are now 31 years old.
Airyn, one of the twins, announced in 2025 that she is a trans woman and stated that her famous parents supported her during this process. Robert De Niro, who has seven children from four different women, has a youngest child who is three years old.
A CAREER SPANNING FROM FASHION TO HOLLYWOOD
Born Doris Smith in Philadelphia on September 25, 1952, Toukie Smith became one of the striking names in the fashion world in the 1970s. Selected as Model of the Year by Bloomingdale's in 1978, Smith worked with world-famous brands such as Versace, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy.
Turning to acting after her modeling career, Smith played the character Angie in the series 'Miami Vice' and the character Eva Rawley in the comedy series '227.' She appeared on screen with stars such as Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington in the film 'The Preacher's Wife.'
SHE QUIT ACTING AND OPENED A RESTAURANT
In the later stages of her career, Toukie Smith largely stepped away from acting and entered the restaurant business by opening a luxury restaurant in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, New York, in 1994. Having been in the fashion, television and film world for many years, Smith left behind her two children and the traces she made in the art world.