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July 3 (UPI) -- Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, an actor and the grandson of Robert De Niro, has died at age 19. De Niro, 79, mourned Rodriguez's death in a statement Monday to NBC News, saying he was "deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson."
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"We're greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone," De Niro added. "We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo."
Rodriguez's mother, actress Drena De Niro, had announced the actor's death in a post Sunday on Instagram. The cause has not been disclosed.
"My beautiful sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly. You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life," Drena De Niro wrote.
"I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you. I don't know how to live without you but I'll try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama," she said.
Rodriguez appeared alongside his mom in the 2018 film A Star is Born starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. His other acting credits include the movie Cabaret Maxime.
"You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you. I'm so sorry my baby, I'm so sorry @carlosmare," Drena De Niro wrote, tagging Rodriguez's father, artist Carlos Rodriguez, aka Carlos Mare. "Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy."
Mare responded in the comments, writing, "My dear Drena... words aren't enough to express the joy he gave us or the loss we now endure with our families and friends. He is Godschild now. On this full moon his spirit illuminates what could not be seen in the dark. You can't spell LOVE without LEO."
Model Naomi Campbell, actresses Debi Mazar and Rosie Perez, and other celebrities voiced their condolences.
"Drena heartbroken for you, such a Duo, i can't imagine how you must feel, May the lord cover you and hold you in his arms, at this very sad time and loss ... I love you, always here for you," Campbell, who was romantically linked to Robert De Niro in the 1990s, wrote.
"I have no words ... I'm in shock. I'm so sorry. @drenadeniro @carlosmare I love you both so much," added Mazar, who appeared with Robert De Niro in Goodfellas.
"Shocked! I'm so sorry! We are all here for you!!! I love you too much!" Perez said.
Drena De Niro is the daughter of singer and actress Diahnne Abbott and was adopted by Robert De Niro during his marriage to Abbott.
Robert De Niro has six other children, including daughter Gia Virginia, whom he welcomed with his partner Tiffany Chen in April.
