Actor Liev Schreiber calls Kai - his son with actress Naomi Watts - a 'warrior' after the 16-year-old boldly asked his parents to recognize his true gender.
In an interview with Variety on May 8, Liev Schreiber spoke for the first time about Kai's gender and the emotional moment when his child publicly announced his gender identity. "Kai has always been herself. But probably the most meaningful moment was when she asked us to change her pronouns. Honestly, it wasn't a big deal for me because Kai has been so feminine for a long time."
Kai is Liev Schreiber's second child with his ex-girlfriend, King Kong actress Naomi Watts. The couple also had a son, Sasha, 17, in a relationship that lasted more than 10 years, from 2005 to 2016.
When asked about his advice for parents of transgender children, Schreiber simply said that he didn't have an answer for everyone else. The 57-year-old explained that every situation is different and that giving general advice might not be appropriate.
However, the actor said that raising teenagers is difficult because they are in a "stubborn" stage. "They tend to annoy you a lot of the time, and Kai is no exception. Regardless of whether they are transgender or not, you will get through this stage," he shared.
Showing strong support for his son, on May 9, Liev Schreiber and his wife, Miss South Dakota Taylor Nielsen, will take Kai to a program to help homeless people in the LGBTQIA+ community (diverse in sexual orientation and gender identity: gay, bisexual, transgender...) at the Ali Forney Center in New York.
Naomi Watts also regularly attends Kai's special events. The actress came to cheer on her daughter when she made her catwalk debut earlier this year and attended many fashion shows with Kai. At the premiere of The Friend in New York in March, Naomi smiled brightly, proudly walking next to her transgender daughter, the beautiful and outstanding teenage girl in a layered black dress combined with a pink corset and polka dot blazer.
On Kai's 16th birthday last December, Naomi Watts shared a photo of her daughter on Instagram with a loving message. She wrote: "I am the luckiest person in the world to have you! You blow me away with your wild spirit, your strength, and your sweetness and gentleness. Thank you for being my mother. I love you so much!"