Susanna Reid sparked a furious social media debate on Wednesday after admitting she could understand the negative backlash when Robert De Niro welcomed his seventh child at age 79.
The Hollywood star – who turns 80 on August 17 – made the admission during an interview on Tuesday, but has yet to confirm further details on the baby’s name or gender.
Discussing his revelation on Good Morning Britain, Reid, 52, acknowledged why some fans felt the decision to father children later in life was ‘selfish’.
“I’m a little skeptical about it,” she said. “He’s effectively 80, isn’t he?”
Daily Mail columnist Andrew Pierce and Daily Mirror editor-in-chief Kevin Maguire labeled the idea of having children together later as “self-indulgent”.
An incredulous Pierce added, “It’s too old. If his son goes off to college at 18 or whatever, he’ll be 98… if he’s still alive?’
“He’s not going to win any parent race at school, is he?” agreed Maguire, whose regular appearances alongside Pierce usually end at odds.
Argument: Susanna Reid sparked a furious social media debate on Wednesday after admitting she could understand the negative backlash when Robert De Niro welcomed his seventh child at age 79
Surprise: The Hollywood star – who turns 80 on August 17 – made the admission during an interview on Tuesday, but has yet to confirm further details about the baby’s name or gender
Let’s talk: Reid discussed his revelation on Good Morning Britain and said she acknowledged why some fans viewed the decision to father children later in life as ‘selfish’
However, the argument opened up a wider debate, with viewers inevitably divided over the seventy-year-old De Niro’s decision to welcome another child at such an unconventional age.
On Twitter, someone wrote: ‘Who’s to say when you can have a child? [sic] Why say good dad or bad dad? There are bad and good mothers. I’m tired of Dad getting the short end of the stick.’
A second added: “Children don’t care how old their parents are, they just want and need love.”
While a third posted: “I have split opinions on this. I had older parents and was bullied and distressed by other children. say think of the child.’
Another added: ‘I think 79 is too old but if one of the parents was younger I think it’s less of a problem but I think it’s pretty selfish. I think it’s easier for men because they don’t have the physical hurdles that older women have in terms of getting pregnant and giving birth, etc.’
Our Turn: Guests Andrew Pierce and Kevin Maguire — usually at odds during their appearances on the show — collectively rejected the idea of having kids later in life
Fair point: co-host Ed Balls pointed out that comedy legend Charlie Chaplin welcomed his eighth child when he was 73 years old
A fifth posted in support of the actor: “Obviously he’s not too old to be a father, so the question should be, ‘is he too old to raise a child?'”
While another disputed the claim, writing, “It’s selfish. There are also other problems. Yes, young parents can die, but the older the parents, the less likely they are to see their child grow up.
“These old men get involved with young women and the women clearly want a family. No attention to the children!’
Double Oscar winner De Niro confirmed the birth of his seventh child, while correcting an interviewer who suggested he only had six children, telling her it’s now “seven, actually.”
“I just had a baby,” he told Entertainment Tonight Canada, without disclosing the baby’s sex or the mother’s identity.
Get involved: The argument opened up a wider debate, with viewers inevitably divided over 70-year-old De Niro’s decision to welcome another child
are you looking at me? De Niro attended the New York premiere of his new film, ironically titled About My Father (pictured) on Tuesday night
A De Niro representative confirmed the birth to The Associated Press on Tuesday, but said no other details were expected.
Attending the New York City premiere of his new movie, ironically titled About My Father, on Tuesday night, De Niro told The Associated Press about becoming a father again: “It’s always good and mysterious and you don’t know what’s going on.” the hand. to happen.’
The actor is also a parent to Drena, 51, and Raphael, 46, from his first marriage; and twins, Julian and Aaron, 27; Eliot, 24; and Helen Grace, 11, from his second marriage.
De Niro is a two-time Oscar winner for his supporting role in The Godfather: Part II and Best Actor in Raging Bull.
In 2011, he was also honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award from the Golden Globes for his impact on the entertainment world and five years later received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.