Geena Davis' 3 Children: All About Alizeh, Kaiis and Kian
Geena Davis was inspired by her children to start a media institute for gender equality
Geena Davis is an actress, an activist and a mother of three children: Alizeh, Kaiis and Kian.
The Thelma & Louise star shares her kids with ex-husband Reza Jarrahy: daughter Alizeh was born in 2002, and their twin sons, Kaiis and Kian, were welcomed in 2004. After nearly 20 years of marriage, Davis and Reza finalized their divorce in December 2021.
The Golden Globe winner was in her 40s when she gave birth to her children and has said that she is “grateful” that she waited to become a mother.
“I wanted to wait, hoping that I could still have kids, but I thought, ‘I’ll be more evolved the longer I wait,’ ” she said in an October 2022 appearance on ITV’s Loose Talk. “I didn’t have a lot of self-esteem, but I was really determined that my children would have self-esteem.”
As they got older, Davis’ kids inspired her to become an activist in Hollywood. When her children were toddlers, the actress became keenly aware of gender inequality in films and TV shows and decided to do something about it, eventually starting the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media in 2004.
“I was bothered by the idea that we were showing kids a very imbalanced world from the beginning ... I saw that there were so far fewer female characters than male characters," she told PEOPLE in 2020. “I didn’t intend to make it my life’s mission, but it has become that now 15 years later."
Here’s everything to know about Geena Davis’ children: Alizeh, Kaiis and Kian.
Alizeh Keshvar Davis Jarrahy, 22
Davis and Reza's first child together, daughter Alizeh Keshvar Davis Jarrahy, was born on April 10, 2002.
In her childhood, Alizeh inspired Davis to campaign for more female representation in Hollywood.
In a September 2016 interview with The New York Times, Davis was asked why she had started her gender institute, and she responded, “The impetus was my daughter. I was very aware of the lack of great female characters in film, because I was living it.”
In an essay dedicated to Alizeh, published in Parade in 2016, Davis wrote, “I can’t stop our culture from sending disempowering messages to my daughter, no matter how much I limit her media exposure. But I can tell her that it’s wrong. I can teach her that it’s unfair and needs to change.”
When Alizeh was younger, she was a big fan of princesses, and Davis told Good Housekeeping in 2006 that her daughter would put her own spin on classic fairy tales.
“She never wants to play princesses who are just lying there asleep or under some spell. They're always very active princesses who battle dragons or evil witches," the Oscar winner said.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Alizeh now attends the University of Southern California, where she is pursuing a bachelor's degree in the music industry and cinematic arts. She has also interned at a few companies, including MPATH MUSIC.
Kaiis Steven Davis Jarrahy, 20
Davis welcomed Kaiis Steven Davis Jarrahy and his twin brother Kian on May 6, 2004.
Two years later, Davis admitted to Good Housekeeping that having twins at age 48 was “pretty daunting."
“My daughter was two when they were born, so that meant three kids under the age of three at home." she said. "And I was worried because part of me thought, 'Am I going to be able to love boys as much as I love my little girl?' "
The Beetlejuice alum added, "Of course I do, and it’s been really wonderful. But it was overwhelming.”
As he has grown, Kaiis' father sometimes posts of him on Instagram. In May 2020, Reza shared a photo of himself and Kaiis eating a meal together and added a caption about how he had fasted for the Muslim holiday of Ramadan with his children.
“I’m also proud that my teenage children, despite being stuck in an isolated COVID life these past few months, decided on their own to fast with me,” he wrote. “Not an easy task for kids all things considered, but they did it with poise and grace and it was lovely to witness and be a part of.”
Per Kaiis' LinkedIn, he attends the University of Washington and serves on the board of his fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi.
Kian William Davis Jarrahy, 20
Davis welcomed Kian William Davis Jarrahy, along with his twin brother Kaiis, on May 6, 2004.
The Stuart Little actress has been open about how Alizeh inspired her to start her foundation, but she has also talked about how her sons were a motivation.
In a 2017 interview with The Guardian, she said, “I remember I was once with my boys in a park and they saw a squirrel. I consciously decided to say, ‘Look, she’s so cute’ and they both turned to me with surprised expressions and said, ‘How do you know it’s a girl?’ I was like, wow, I’ve already failed. They were four years old.”
While speaking with Good Housekeeping in 2006, Davis opened up about how she parents her children, saying it’s “important” to her that they “feel acknowledged.”
She explained that she had been raised in a time when kids were supposed to be seen but not heard.
“I’m making a point of letting my kids know it’s OK to express themselves," the actress explained. "I try not to decide for them what they’re feeling. I want them to know they don’t have to hide their emotions.”
Since sharing her parenting philosophy, Davis has maintained her kids' privacy, rarely stepping out with them. Still, in June 2023, she and Kian walked the red carpet at the 9th Annual Bentonville Film Festival.
A month prior, Kian's dad posted a birthday tribute to their sons on Instagram, writing, "19 years! It’s been 19 thousand headaches 🙄and 19 billion joys ❤️❤️❤️ so much love and pride for these boys."
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