How Naomi Watts & Liev Schreiber Support Model Daughter Kai’s Career

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From a young age, Kai Schreiber knew she was among those that like it hot. 

Honestly, I’ve been following her forever, and it all makes so much sense! She told Interview Magazine last year how her love for fashion – like, really loving Valentino, Mugler, and Gaultier – and wanting to be like Marilyn Monroe, totally fueled everything. But she also said, and this is what really hit me, that figuring out who she was, dealing with gender stuff from a young age, was probably a huge part of it all. It just… clicked. It explains why she’s so magnetic and fearless!

Kai, who is transgender, explained that her mother, Naomi Watts, has years of experience in the kitchen – “she can show you all the videos,” Kai said. She shared that she’d always dreamed of becoming a beautiful, glamorous, and influential woman, just like Marilyn Monroe.

Or Euphoria star Hunter Schafer. Or Vogue regular Alex Consani, her comrades in couture. 

Growing up as a transgender girl, I really admire the trailblazing trans people who came before me, particularly those in the fashion world,” she said. “That’s why I’ve been leaning on my fellow models even more lately, especially now that our community is facing so much negativity.

Kai, along with other LGBTQ+ models, is excited about the growing and supportive community within the fashion industry, playfully calling it a ‘doll takeover’.

Count Watts and Kai’s dad Liev Schreiber among those rooting for the uprising. 

He proudly shared a photo of his daughter’s recent creation on Instagram in February, writing, “Amazing work, Kai!”

Of course, he was there to support her when she first walked the runway in March 2025, showcasing designs for Valentino at Paris Fashion Week.

He intervened when his oldest daughter faced criticism for benefiting from her parents’ fame. He shares an 18-year-old son, Sasha, with his ex-girlfriend, Watts, and recently welcomed a daughter, Hazel, with his wife, Taylor Neisen, in September 2023.

Liev Schreiber, the 58-year-old actor known for Ray Donovan, recently told TMZ he doesn’t dwell on criticism. He explained it this way: If you were a professional actor, would you want your child to have the same career path, or would you want them to choose something different?

Regardless, he would be applauding every step. 

He emphasized that it was her life to live as she pleased, and he was very proud of her. He also thought she performed wonderfully on the show.

And, yes, Watts also feels she’s doing amazing, sweetie. 

Naomi Watts recently admitted to taking on a “momager” role, helping her daughter with her career. During an October interview on Today with Jenna & Friends, Watts, who is married to Billy Crudup, praised her daughter’s maturity and expressed how proud she was of her accomplishments.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m often asked about supporting children exploring their identities, and I recently discussed this with Naomi Watts regarding her son Kai. She and I both agree the most important thing is to have an open conversation, but really listen to your child and tailor that conversation to their specific needs and understanding. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, it’s all about meeting them where they are.

In fact, Schreiber struggles to even pinpoint the moment they were told Kai was transgender. 

The actor shared in a May 2025 interview with Variety that Kai has always been true to herself. However, a particularly meaningful moment was when Kai asked everyone to start using different pronouns. The actor admitted it felt like a natural step, as Kai had consistently presented in a feminine way for quite some time.

He doesn’t offer specific guidance for parents helping their children navigate changes or difficult times.

He admitted he couldn’t offer advice about my child. He explained that he didn’t understand my experience as a transgender father, my upbringing, or my beliefs. He felt it would be inappropriate for him to share his personal opinion about my kid, given his lack of understanding.

Schreiber explained that when talking to parents struggling with their transgender teen, he’d say, ‘Teenagers are tough, no matter what.’ He emphasized that all teens are challenging, but a transgender teen is still just a teen – often difficult and spirited, like his own child, Kai, who is very strong-willed and speaks their mind.

It’s a trait that’s come in handy as she pursues her runway ambitions. 

Schreiber praised Kai’s strength, saying it’s powerful for her to openly share her identity and say, ‘I’m proud of who I am.’

Take a photo if you can. Kai is very determined about her goal: “I want to be a supermodel,” she told Interview magazine, emphasizing her ambition. “That’s it.”

This teenager is part of a growing number of celebrities who have publicly shared their experiences with gender identity. Here’s what other stars have said about coming out to family and friends.

The influencer openly shared her journey as a transgender woman on TikTok with her “Days of Girlhood” series, covering everything from facial feminization surgery to the challenges of public criticism. In March 2023, she marked the series’ first anniversary with a solo cabaret performance, raising money for The Trevor Project.

Before starting her transition, she always considered herself a follower, but now she feels empowered and ready to take on a leadership role. She expressed to TopMob News at the event that she feels prepared to develop and utilize leadership skills.

Dylan added, “And thank god we finally got here, because I never want to go back!” 

Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts’ daughter has always been certain about two things: her passion for fashion and her identity as a woman.

Kai confidently stated in an interview with Interview Magazine in June 2025, “My goal is to become a supermodel.” They revealed they’ve been preparing for years, even practicing their walk at home. “My mom has tons of videos of me practicing – I made her film them!”

She explained that her lifelong desire to be a beautiful, glamorous, and influential woman – someone like Marilyn Monroe – was likely connected to her early struggles with understanding her gender identity.

And what’s great about her trans experience is that she has felt the support of her parents.

According to Liev, Kai has always been true to herself. He told Variety in May 2025 that Kai is a strong person and it’s important for her to openly share who she is as a transgender woman, saying, ‘Here I am.’

Growing up in Alabama, the actress from Orange Is the New Black was severely bullied as a child. She explained to ABC News in 2014 that this was because she didn’t conform to traditional expectations for boys. This discrimination led to a suicide attempt when she was in the sixth grade.

Laverne recalled feeling intensely attracted to other boys and admitted she’d felt suicidal as a result.

The actress only truly felt a sense of peace and acceptance after moving to New York and embracing her identity as a woman, something she began to explore with the help of the LGBTQ+ community there.

She once explained to The Advocate that it felt like she’d spent her life avoiding a part of herself, constantly struggling against it and trying to change who she was instead of simply accepting herself.

Though her song “For You I Will (Confidence)” seems to be about conquering fears, the musician personally dealt with her own struggles before publicly coming out as a transgender woman in 2017.

In a 2020 interview with Today, Teddy shared that they remembered looking in the mirror and wishing they were a girl. They explained that for a long time, they’d suppressed those feelings, never allowing themselves to truly understand or explore them, which ultimately led to significant anxiety and compulsive behaviors.

And since transitioning, the singer said she feels “a lot more connected” to herself.

In 2021, she told Apple Music that the past few years had been a journey of self-discovery, allowing her to overcome feelings of shame related to being transgender and manage her OCD and anxiety.

Before publicly announcing her transition in 2021, the actor known for 13 Reasons Why had been living as a woman privately for a year.

In an interview with Time, she explained that staying silent about her experiences can mean losing control of how her story is told. She sees her journey as a natural process of change, demonstrating the fluidity of gender – how it can be a dynamic, vulnerable, and ever-evolving part of life.

As someone who helps people navigate life’s changes, I’ve seen firsthand that transitioning isn’t just about how you present yourself to the world – it also affects what you want in your relationships. For me, it meant realizing the kinds of romantic connections I was looking for had shifted. I started prioritizing different qualities and dynamics in a partner, and that’s been a really important part of my journey.

Okay, so, I was with Peter for nine years, and honestly, everyone always saw me as… well, more like a guy. He’s gay, and I loved him so much, I really did. But as I’ve come into myself as a woman, I’ve realized what I need in a relationship just isn’t what he can offer. It’s been really tough, but we’ve had amazing talks and we’re now figuring out how to be just friends. It’s heartbreaking, but we both deserve to be happy, and that means redefining things. We finalized the divorce in 2022, but there’s still so much love there, just… different now.

I was so moved when Elliot Page, who I’ve admired since Juno, publicly came out as transgender in December 2020. His statement really resonated with me. He explained that while he was incredibly happy and grateful, he was also understandably scared. He worried about the intense scrutiny, potential negativity, hurtful comments, and even the possibility of violence. It was so brave of him to share both his joy and his fears, and it meant a lot to those of us who have been following his journey.

He shared a message of support for transgender people, saying he recognizes their struggles with harassment, self-doubt, abuse, and the constant threat of violence. He expressed his love and promised to work towards a better, more accepting world for them.

Elliot has consistently shared his experiences, including his recovery from chest surgery. In a May 2023 shirtless selfie, he wrote about how difficult summers used to be, explaining that he’d struggle with discomfort and self-consciousness. He contrasted that with how liberating it feels now to simply enjoy the sun and feel comfortable in his body, something he never thought possible.

The Umbrella Academy star also detailed his transition in his 2023 memoir, Pageboy.

Laura Jane Grace, the singer of Against Me!, realized she experienced feelings of gender dysphoria from a young age. In a 2014 interview with Magnet magazine, she described a deep-seated need to express her identity as a girl. She explained that these feelings would create intense anxiety until she could be alone and freely express herself, and this pattern continued throughout her life.

Laura explained that she turned to drugs and alcohol to numb her emotions and escape from her reality, which led to years of struggling with depression. It wasn’t until she reached her thirties that she accepted her feelings weren’t going to disappear, and she came out as transgender in 2012.

She shared that she’s taking things one day at a time, trying to understand what’s happening in her life and how to move forward. While she’s still struggling emotionally, she’s also proud of overcoming a significant obstacle that was holding her back, and recognizes that’s a positive step.

Chaz Bono, the child of Cher and Sonny Bono, has spoken about always identifying as male, despite being assigned female at birth.

The musician remembered feeling a shift in expectations as they entered puberty, along with a disconnect from their changing body. Speaking to Oprah Winfrey in 2014, several years into their transition, they described going from a lean, athletic child to developing curves, which was deeply upsetting. It was a difficult time because their physical development didn’t match their internal sense of self.

His experience was chronicled in the 2011 documentary Becoming Chaz.

It’s challenging enough to grow up with public attention, but it’s even harder when you’re also exploring who you are as a person, especially regarding gender identity. Despite this, Zaya—the daughter of former NBA star Dwyane Wade—has handled everything with remarkable strength and grace.

After coming out as transgender, she received a lot of hurtful comments telling her to conform to traditional feminine standards, like growing her hair long. She explained to People magazine in 2022 that this kind of criticism is meant to discourage you, but it’s important not to let it get you down.

Zaya chose to share her story publicly because she believes the positive impact of an inclusive platform is far greater than any negativity she might face online. In a March 2023 interview with Dazed, she explained that being open has allowed her to spread positivity and empower transgender people worldwide, giving them a voice and inspiring them to live authentically without fear. She credits her dad and stepmom, Gabrielle Union, as key parts of her support system.

Gigi, who calls herself the “Queen of Coming Out,” has documented her exploration of gender identity on YouTube for years. She initially identified as a gay man before realizing she was a pansexual woman. In a 2019 interview with NBC News, she explained that coming out as transgender was the most difficult part of her journey, admitting it would be a long and challenging process with many steps along the way.

The influencer explained she’s sharing her experience to support anyone else who might be going through something similar.

Gigi shared that she’s happy to connect with and support people online, offering advice based on what she’s learned. She believes the benefits of doing so far outweigh any drawbacks.

Jazz, a young YouTuber, began advocating for the transgender community at just six years old. She first gained national attention in 2007 when she discussed her experiences with gender dysphoria in an interview with Barbara Walters on 20/20. Since then, she’s continued to share her life, including her gender-confirmation surgeries and the challenges and triumphs along the way, on her TLC show, I Am Jazz.

She remembered struggling with how much to share publicly, noting that many well-known transgender people don’t discuss their surgeries. Ultimately, she decided she wanted to help people understand the experience firsthand and educate as many as possible, as she explained in a 2021 profile with Variety.

The former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant began her gender transition immediately after filming for the show’s third season concluded. She had already been undergoing hormone therapy for a year by the time the season aired in 2011.

In a 2016 interview with Self, she remembered realizing at age 25 that she wouldn’t feel complete until she transitioned. She explained that going through hormone therapy – specifically, lowering her testosterone and raising her estrogen – gave her a new and profound understanding of her emotions, something she hadn’t experienced before.

She explained that she appreciates being able to live her life and focus on the present, rather than constantly criticizing herself. She emphasized that being uncomfortable with who you are can be incredibly draining and lead to feelings of overwhelm.

The actress has been very open about her transition, even sharing updates about her tracheal shave on Twitter.

Hari, the first transgender woman signed by IMG Worldwide, explained to Vogue in 2014 that she chose not to privately transition. She could have spent three years living at home in Boston, completing her transition – including voice training and gender reassignment surgery – before starting her career in fashion or film. However, she didn’t want to wait; she wanted to be visible and actively working in the world.

Some LGBTQ+ celebrities have publicly shared their transitions, but the actress from Pose decided to take a break from her career in 2012 to focus on her personal transition.

She explained to Playbill that she needed time for personal growth – mentally and physically. She wasn’t ready to share what she was going through publicly, so she took time to focus on herself and sort things out.

Since returning to performing, the Broadway star has found confidence and wanted to demonstrate that transgender women are capable of achieving anything they set out to do.

When Kim Petras was 16, in 2007, her desire to live as her true self gained attention in Germany. She sought medical approval for gender confirmation surgery as a teenager and received it a year later. After the surgery, she told The Telegraph, “I’ve always felt like a woman—I was just born in the wrong body.”

For years, the Olympic athlete grappled with questions about her gender identity and kept her true self hidden from loved ones. In April 2015, she publicly came out as transgender in an interview with Diane Sawyer, stating simply, “Yes, I am a woman.”

Oh my god, when I first saw Caitlyn on the cover of Vanity Fair… it was everything. She finally revealed her true self to the world, and the interview… it just wrecked me in the best way. She didn’t do it for fame, she said, she did it to live. Like, really live. It wasn’t about being interesting to others, it was about finally being herself, and that just hit me so hard. I’ve been following her journey ever since, and that quote… it still gives me chills.

She explained that she would deeply regret it if she reached the end of her life still keeping this secret and never addressing it. She didn’t want to feel like she’d wasted her life or failed to confront her issues.

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2026-06-07 19:21