Robert De Niro has revealed his 18-year-old son Elliot has autism.
“Grace and I have a child with autism and we believe it is critical that all of the issues surrounding the causes of autism be openly discussed and examined,” the 72-year-old actor revealed in a statement.
He announced the news before pulling the anti-vaccination documentary Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe from the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival.
The dad-of-six added that while the film is “very personal to me and my family,” he said, “I am not personally endorsing the film, nor am I anti-vaccination”.
He’s alluded to raising a child with special needs in the past.
During an interview with Katie Couric, he broke down while discussing the film Silver Linings Playbook.
“I don’t like to get emotional,” Robert said. “But I know exactly what he goes through.”
