Danielle Laidley and her family
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Interview: Danielle Laidley opens up about where her relationship with her kids stands

"There's still a considerable amount of work to do"

Streaming
WRITTEN BY Anita Anabel and Danica Baker / Edited BY Anita Anabel
20 September 2023 , 8 minutes to read

Danielle Laidley has been open about the struggle she’s faced maintaining a relationship with her kids Molly, Brooke and Kane following her transition to becoming a woman.

In an interview with Mediaweek and Chattr’s The Entertainment Hotline podcast, ahead of the release of her Stan Original Documentary Revealed: Danielle Laidley: Two Tribes, she said that she currently has a good relationship with her son Kane; however, it’s still “a work in progress” with the others.

“To be honest, there’s still a considerable amount of work to do with two of my children,” she said.

“My son, who was there when it all happened, he organised so much stuff and stood beside me. And through media barrage stood strong, and stood by my side. So I’m very, very grateful.”

Danielle’s relationship with children Brooke and Molly

Laidley shared that her relationship with Brooke and Molly, who she shares with ex-wife Joanne Laidley, is strained.

She lamented that the damage is related to the downward spiral she went through prior to being publicly outed as a trans woman by a leaked mug shot.

“One’s a little bit older than Kane, and my youngest daughter is only just 24 now. So take it back four years ago, if you’re 20 or 21, and that gets plastered on papers, and how I was acting at the time before that really made for a hard time with their relationship.

“But, before that, it was gold. I loved it. I spent most days with my kids and had a great relationship our them. So, hopefully, one day. It will be in their own time.”

Danielle’s hope for the future

The former AFL player has shared that she holds on to a glimmer of hope that her family will eventually be reunited and spend special occasions together.

“I just keep working on myself to be the best person that I can. So when they’re ready in their own time [to build a relationship again].”

“One day we’ll [hopefully] be sitting around the Christmas dinner table with both [my partner] Donna and I, all our kids, and our grandkids. That would be pretty much a utopia for us.”

Danielle and Donna. Instagram.

Listen to the full episode with Danielle Laidley on The Entertainment Hotline podcast below.

Stream Revealed: Danielle Laidley: Two Tribes on Stan.

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