Drena De Niro

Drena De Niro is an American actress and filmmaker who was born in New York City and rose to prominence through a blend of artistic pursuits that spanned modeling, DJing, fashion consulting, and eventually acting. Growing up in a bohemian environment, she split her formative years between New York, Los Angeles, and Italy, a transitory lifestyle that she credits with shaping her creative instincts. After completing high school and briefly attending Shasta College in Redding, California, she entered the entertainment world as a model before expanding her portfolio to become a DJ and a fashion consultant, roles that led her to work as a musical supervisor for the iconic fashion house Giorgio Armani, where she helped design and coordinate runway shows. Her on‑screen debut came with a supporting role in Allison Anders’s Grace of My Heart, after which she honed her craft under the guidance of acting coaches Larry Moss and Susan Batson. In 2000, she wrote and directed the documentary Girls and Dolls, which examined a young stylist’s obsession with dolls and earned the Best Directorial Debut Award at the New York Independent Film/Video Festival in 2001. Drena has appeared in several of her adoptive father Robert De Niro’s films, including Wag the Dog (1997), Showtime (2002), City by the Sea (2002), and The Intern (2015), showcasing her versatility across genres. Since 2006, she has served as the spokesperson for the Kageno Orphan Sponsorship Program, advocating for the care of orphaned children in Kenya, and she continues to reside in New York City while pursuing new film projects. In July 2023 she announced the tragic loss of her son Leandro, who died at age 19 from an accidental fentanyl overdose, a personal sorrow that has deeply affected her.