Cody Rhodes has shared a memorable and deeply personal story from the period surrounding the birth of his second daughter, Leilani Ella Runnels.
While discussing his work on Street Fighter, Rhodes recalled that he was filming a scene for the movie when he looked at his phone and learned that his child had been born. It was not a quiet or conventionally dramatic setting. Instead, the WWE star described being part of a sequence in which he and several other performers were lying together in what he called a “body pool” after being taken out by Bison’s crew.
Leilani’s arrival was publicly announced by Brandi Rhodes on August 29, 2025. The news surprised many wrestling fans because Brandi’s pregnancy had been kept largely out of the public eye. Cody and Brandi already had one daughter before welcoming Leilani, making the announcement an especially happy development for the Rhodes family.
An Unusual Moment on a Film Set
Rhodes explained that the scene being filmed was intended to carry a serious tone. He said the sequence was an important moment for Karina, and the people involved were trying to stay quiet so the dialogue could be delivered properly. The take, however, was repeatedly interrupted by comedy actor Andrew Schultz.
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“Let me describe to you where I was,” Rhodes said. “I was laying in a body pool with multiple men just laying on one another. We had been taken out by Bison’s crew.”
The WWE star said Schultz kept breaking the atmosphere with loud fart jokes, something Rhodes did not expect from him. Rhodes admitted that fart humor is not generally to his taste and said he had regarded Schultz as a sophisticated comic, making the behavior all the more surprising to him.
“I’m laying down in this and he’s just ripping them,” Rhodes said. “These lines continuously are being messed up and stepped on, we’re doing our best here but then I look down at my phone and my child had been born.”
The contrast in the story is striking: a chaotic, comedic interruption during a serious movie scene suddenly giving way to one of the most meaningful family moments of Rhodes’ life. Rhodes’ recollection also illustrates the reality of balancing a major entertainment commitment with the unpredictable timing of parenthood. Even for one of WWE’s most recognizable performers, a life-changing family update can arrive in the middle of a working day—or, in this case, in the middle of a crowded movie set.
Leilani’s Birth Was Kept Private
Brandi Rhodes revealed the birth of Leilani Ella Runnels on August 29, 2025. Prior to that announcement, there had been little public indication that she was expecting another child. The privacy surrounding the pregnancy led to widespread surprise when the Rhodes family shared the news.
Cody and Brandi have both spent years in the public eye, with their relationship and professional paths often intersecting in wrestling. Cody’s career has placed him among WWE’s central figures, while Brandi has also been a familiar name to wrestling audiences through her own on-screen and executive work at different points in her career. Still, the couple has maintained clear boundaries around many aspects of their family life.
The timing of Leilani’s birth also came during a period in which Cody was balancing his responsibilities in WWE with his involvement in a high-profile film production. His comments about the birth do not focus on the logistics of that balance as much as they capture the human side of it: the abrupt shift from concentrating on a scene to seeing the news that his daughter had arrived.
Rhodes’ anecdote does not reveal additional details about the birth itself, and the central point of his story was simply the unforgettable place he happened to be when he received the update. The unusual setting, the interrupted takes, and the sudden glance at his phone have clearly made the moment stand out in his memory.
Rhodes Continues to Expand Beyond WWE
Street Fighter represents another significant project outside the wrestling ring for Rhodes. His involvement in the movie comes as his WWE profile remains exceptionally high, with Rhodes continuing to be one of the company’s defining stars. The film role has also given fans a different look at the performer, placing him in a production environment far removed from weekly television, premium live events, and the structure of a wrestling match.
That distinction is part of what makes his account of Leilani’s birth so notable. A WWE audience is accustomed to seeing Rhodes in controlled, high-pressure environments, whether he is delivering a major promo, entering an arena in front of a large crowd, or competing on one of the industry’s biggest stages. The image he painted from the Street Fighter set is much less polished: performers piled together for a scene, attempts at serious acting disrupted by off-camera humor, and a phone notification that immediately put everything else into perspective.
Rhodes did not frame the incident as a complaint about the production or the circumstances. Rather, he recalled the scene with a sense of humor, even while acknowledging that Schultz’s jokes were not exactly aligned with his own sense of comedy. The story ultimately lands because it is so specific and unexpected, not because of any elaborate production detail.
A Family Milestone Amid a Busy Career
For Rhodes, the birth of Leilani stands apart from any professional milestone. WWE championships, major WrestleMania matches, television appearances, and film projects may define the public side of his career, but the arrival of a child is a moment with a very different significance.
The fact that Brandi’s pregnancy remained private until the birth announcement also meant that the news was experienced by fans only after the family had already welcomed Leilani. Public reaction centered on congratulations for Cody, Brandi, and their growing family, while the couple’s decision to keep the pregnancy out of the spotlight was respected.
Rhodes’ recent recollection adds a new piece to that story without changing its most important element: Leilani Ella Runnels was welcomed by a family that had chosen to keep the moment personal. His account simply reveals that, at the instant he learned his daughter had been born, he was in an environment almost comically unlike the emotional importance of the news.
It is the kind of story that is likely to stay with Rhodes long after the details of the particular Street Fighter scene fade. A difficult or silly day on set can blend into the routine of a production schedule. The message on his phone, however, marked the beginning of a new chapter for his family.
The Cowboy Hat Conversation
Elsewhere, Rhodes has also discussed a possible return of another familiar piece of his presentation: the black cowboy hat. In a separate interview, he said he wanted to bring the hat back after WrestleMania 41.
The black cowboy hat has long been associated with a previous era of Rhodes’ career and remains a detail many fans connect with his evolving persona over the years. His comments indicate that he has at least considered reintroducing that visual element after WrestleMania 41, though no additional outcome was established in the discussion.
For now, Rhodes’ comments about Street Fighter offer a reminder that his life beyond WWE’s cameras is continuing to evolve alongside his career in the ring. Between major professional opportunities and the arrival of his second daughter, Rhodes has been navigating a period filled with meaningful changes. Of all the stories from that stretch, learning that Leilani had been born while lying in a crowded movie-set scene may be the one he never forgets.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.