Toukie Smith, the former model and actress who shared two children with Hollywood star Robert De Niro, has died at 74 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis. Her death marks the loss of a woman who made her own name in fashion and television long before her relationship with the award-winning actor brought her additional public attention.
Smith died on November 4 at a hospital in New York City, according to her twin children, Airyn and Julian De Niro. They announced her death on November 9, saying their mother had endured a “long, courageous battle” with the neurological disease. The family has not identified the hospital where she died.
Her children shared an emotional statement remembering a mother whose influence reached far beyond her work in entertainment. They described her as “a force of nature” and said she had left a lasting mark on their lives and on everyone who had the chance to know her.
Smith was also part of a family with deep roots in American fashion. Her brother was the late fashion designer Willi Smith, whose work helped make stylish, affordable clothing more accessible to everyday Americans. Airyn and Julian said their mother shared in a remarkable family legacy that helped shape American fashion and culture. They also credited her beauty, grace and presence with helping open doors for generations of Black models and designers.
Born Doris Smith in Philadelphia in 1952, she entered the modeling industry in 1972 after attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Her career quickly gained attention, bringing her opportunities to work with major fashion designers and appear in well-known magazines, including Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Seventeen.
In 1978, Bloomingdale’s named her its Model of the Year. She also appeared in a campaign for Yves Saint Laurent and became a familiar face in the fashion world. Her success was built on years of work in an industry where Black models were still fighting for wider recognition and opportunities.
Smith later moved into acting. In 1989, she joined the NBC sitcom “227,” starring Marla Gibbs, playing Eva Rawley. Her character was an artist who moved into the Lexington Place apartment building. Smith appeared during the show’s final two seasons, giving television audiences another side of her talent.
She also appeared in NBC’s “Miami Vice” during its fourth season, playing Angie, an assistant to singer Caitlin Davies, portrayed by Sheena Easton. Her film credits included “Talkin’ Dirty After Dark,” “I Like It Like That,” “Joe’s Apartment” and “The Preacher’s Wife.”
Away from her entertainment career, Smith became widely known through her relationship with De Niro. The two began dating in 1988 and remained together for nearly eight years. They welcomed their twins, Airyn and Julian, in October 1995 through a surrogate.
The couple separated around 1996 but continued raising their children together. Although they were occasionally seen at public events, they generally kept their relationship away from the spotlight. At the time of their separation, De Niro’s representative said they intended to maintain separate personal and professional lives while continuing to share parenting responsibilities. A representative for Smith also indicated that the two remained on strong terms.
Despite the attention surrounding her relationship with De Niro, Smith had a career and identity of her own. From the fashion runways of the 1970s to television screens in the late 1980s and 1990s, she built a body of work that extended well beyond her connection to Hollywood.
Her children now remember her not only as their mother but also as a woman who helped leave a mark on American fashion and entertainment. Her death closes a chapter in the life of a model and actress whose work reached audiences across different generations.
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