Liev Schreiber talks about his teen daughter, who is transgender

Actor Liev Schreiber is opening up about his transgender daughter, Kai, sharing her journey and his steady support as a father.

Schreiber shares parenting duties with his former partner Naomi Watts; they are parents of 16-year-old Kai and their 17-year-old son, Sasha. 

“Kai was always who Kai is,” Schreiber, 57, told Variety on May 8. “But I suppose the most profound moment was her asking us to change her pronouns.”

He said it “didn’t feel like a big deal,” noting that Kai had expressed femininity for much of her life.

When asked his advice for parents of transgender children, Schreiber acknowledged that each person’s experience is different, shaped by their upbringing, religious background and personal beliefs. He did offer some insight into raising teenagers, noting that adolescence can be challenging regardless of gender identity.

‘Teenagers are a … headache. They’re hard. It doesn’t matter whether they’re trans or not,” Schreiber explained.

“A trans teen is going to be a teen,” he continued. “They’re such a pain in the ass so much of the time, and Kai is as feisty and outspoken as they come.”

While speaking with Variety, Schreiber described Kai as “such a fighter.”

“It’s important that she goes, ‘Hey, I am trans’ and look at me’ and ‘f–k you. F–k off,’” he said, proudly.

Kai, a model, made her runway debut for Valentino during Paris Fashion Week in March. Schreiber later addressed accusations of nepotism, defending her accomplishments. 

“I’m going to put it to you like this: What if you were a professional actor, and your child decided they wanted to do something in this world?” he told TMZ. “Do they have a choice of what you did?”

Schreiber went on to praise Kai’s determination and hard work.

“She does what she wants with her life, and I’m super proud of her,” he gushed. “I thought she did an amazing job in the show.”