Robert De Niro's partner Tiffany Chen diagnosed with Bell's palsy after welcoming baby
Robert De Niro's partner Tiffany Chen was diagnosed with Bell's palsy following the birth of their baby.
During an interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, the 45-year-old opened up about experiencing postpartum complications, which were later diagnosed as Bell's palsy, after welcoming her daughter, Gia Virginia, with the Goodfellas star.
"When I went home, I started to feel like... my tongue felt strange," Tiffany told Gayle of her initial symptoms. "It felt a little tingly, just starting to get a little bit numb. And then I realised my face just felt weird. I didn't know what the feeling was that I was having. It felt weird."
Gayle then asked the new mum if she had noticed her face looking different in the mirror.
"When I got home, it was like everything was starting to just fall down on itself. Like, my face was melting on itself," Tiffany explained. "And then a week after giving birth, that was when it all hit.
"I went to put a fork of food in my mouth and everything came out. I couldn't eat. And then I was starting to slur. So I said (to my doctor), 'There's something really going on here.'"
The martial arts instructor was told to go straight to the hospital, and she added, "I lost all facial function the minute I got into the hospital."
Tiffany was diagnosed with Bell's palsy, a temporary weakness or lack of movement that usually affects one side of the face.
Robert, 79, and Tiffany first sparked rumours of their romance in 2021, years after they first met while filming The Intern in 2015.
The Taxi Driver star, who has six children from previous relationships, welcomed Gia with Tiffany on 6 April.
