Tiffany Chen: Robert De Niro’s girlfriend had facial paralysis

Tiffany Chen (45), the partner of Hollywood icon Robert De Niro (75), suffered from facial paralysis after the birth of their daughter last April. In it she tells about health problems that mainly affected her face. When she came home after giving birth, she first felt a strange tingling sensation in her tongue. “Then I realized my face felt strange. I couldn’t judge the feeling. It felt strange,” Chen said.

After a few days, her symptoms continued to worsen. Chen describes in an interview with the reporter that her face was “fused” with herself: “It just collapsed.” A week after these symptoms of paralysis appeared, she was no longer able to eat.

Robert De Niro’s partner: ‘I couldn’t eat and then I started slurring’

“I tried to eat. I just wanted to put a fork in my mouth and it all came out,” Chen continues. “I couldn’t eat and then I started slurring.” She then turned to a doctor, who immediately sent her to a hospital. “I lost all facial function the minute I got to the clinic,” says Chen, who is still visibly shocked.

The symptoms are commonly known as Bell’s palsy, the medical term is idiopathic facial paralysis. It occurs when the facial nerve becomes damaged or irritated. The exact cause is often unknown, but inflammation is thought to play a role. This can be caused, for example, by the herpes virus, cold viruses or bacterial infections. It is also suspected that factors such as stress, hypothermia, hormonal changes or autoimmune diseases may contribute. In most cases, Bell’s palsy will recover on its own within weeks to months.

Gia Virginia, who was born in April, is De Niro’s seventh child. The actor shares children Drena (51) and Raphael (46) with ex-wife Diahnne Abbott (78). He has twins Aaron and Julian (27) with his former girlfriend Toukie Smith (70). Ex-wife number two, Grace Hightower (68), has son Elliott (25) and daughter Helen (11).