Tony Goldwyn praises Robert De Niro as a father after seeing him with his daughter Helen, 12, on set of their new film Ezra: ‘It was really beautiful to see’

Robert De Niro earned high praise as a loving and attentive father from actor and director Tony Goldwyn.

The Ghost alum was able to get an up-close and personal look at the two-time Academy Award winner’s father-daughter relationship with 12-year-old daughter Helen Grace De Niro while shooting their new film Ezra.

Describing the preteen as ‘incredible’, Goldwyn told People that ‘she was around a lot’ on the set of the comedy-drama that he’s directing, producing and starring with De Niro.

‘It was really beautiful to see how Bob is with her. She was, I guess, 10 or 11 when we filmed, so now she’s 12 or 13. But they have the most dear relationship.’ 

He went on to reveal how he thinks De Niro’s love for his daughter translated to his performance onscreen in the movie that also stars Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Vera Farmiga, Whoopi Goldberg, Rainn Wilson and William Fitzgerald.

‘It was very interesting because he was playing, in our story, a grandfather to the 11-year-old boy Ezra … and so much of [his relationship with Helen], I feel, influenced his relationship with Ezra. It was a very beautiful thing,’ the Los Angeles native gushed.

The legendary actor and his estranged-wife Grace Hightower, 69, welcomed Helen to the world through a surrogate in late December 2011.

The former couple began dating after meeting at a Mr. Chow restaurant in London, where Hightower was working in 1987, and eventually were married a decade later.

They would see their family expand with the addition of their son Elliot, now 26, in 1998, but the Raging Bull star would file for divorce the following year. 

They were able to work out some of their personal issues to the point that they dropped the divorce proceedings, which led to them to renewing their vows and the birth of Helen.

Ultimately, the former couple separated in November 2018 after 20 years of marriage, but have not yet finalized the divorce.

In all, De Niro has seven children: daughter Drena, 52, and son Raphael, 47, with first wife Diahnne Abbott; twin sons Julian and Aaron, 28, with former girlfriend and actress Toukie Smith; and one-year-old Gia with his current partner, Tiffany Chen.

The New York City native also has four grandchildren: one from his daughter Drena, who tragically passed away in 2023 at the age of 19, and three from his son Raphael.

When it comes to rearing a child, De Niro maintains that the best thing a parent or grandparent can do is push their kids to try and live out their dreams. 

‘For my kids, I tell them, ‘If you want to be an actor or you want to do this or that, that’s fine as long as you’re happy. Just don’t sell yourself short,”‘ the iconic leading man told People in January 2020. ‘That’s the most I would say — push yourself a little more and reach for what you really think it is you want to do. Don’t be afraid.’ 

The story of Ezra centers on Max Brandel (Cannavale), a stand-up comedian living with his father Stan (De Niro), who struggles to co-parent his autistic son Ezra with his ex-wife Jenna (Byrne). When faced with difficult decisions about their son’s future, Max and Ezra set off on a cross-country road trip.

After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, Ezra, which was written by Tony Spiridakis, is set to drop in theaters in the U.S. on May 31.