If you’re an avid fan of Pitch Perfect, you might already know who Kai Knapp is, but for those of you who don’t know… 

Kai Knapp, born Kailani Merizalde Knapp, is the daughter of Pitch Perfect actress Alexis Knapp and The Bang-Bang Club actor Ryan Phillippe. She was born as a result of a short-lived love affair between her mother and father who dated for a short while back in 2010, before her birth.

Read more below about Kai and how a fling resulted in her becoming the life and soul of her mother’s world. 

An Unplanned Pregnancy

Kai’s parents Alexis and Ryan met each other in 2010 and dated each other for a short while before a tumultuous split arrived upon the horizon. It wasn’t until the pair had split that Alexis realized she was with child. 

It’s thought that Alexis wanted to be married before conceiving a child; this is an example of how life never goes to plan, it takes a U-turn, and then you’ve got to reevaluate your life. Instead of aborting her child or giving her up for adoption, Alexis chose to keep Kai and raise her as a single mom.

Throughout the pregnancy, it’s thought that Ryan didn’t have a lot of involvement after they were seen together for the first time after she got pregnant, with Alexis’ bump looking relatively well developed by that time. 

Alexis: A Self-Sufficient Single Mom

Just four months before Kai’s birth, a rep for Alexis said, “She has never asked Ryan for any help, nor does she expect it. She continues to appreciate the love and support of her family and friends.”

On July 1, 2011, along came our little Kai. Her father Ryan was present at the time of her birth, and it’s thought that Kai has adopted her mother’s and father’s surnames, so it might be double-barrel like Knapp-Phillippe.

Despite being present at Kai’s birth, Ryan didn’t choose to give Alexis any child support.