Kyla Pratt is proof that love doesn’t always have to come with a marriage license, and she’s perfectly fine with that.
The Proud Family and Dr. Dolittle actress has been in a loving, committed relationship with tattoo artist and musician Danny Kirkpatrick for over two decades. Yes, 20 years of partnership, two beautiful daughters, a blended family, and still no wedding bells. But according to Kyla, that’s entirely by design.
In multiple interviews over the years, Kyla has opened up about why she and Danny aren’t in a hurry to walk down the aisle. And her latest comments only reinforce that this decision isn’t about hesitation. It’s about intention.
“I don’t want to get married to get divorced,” Kyla recently shared. “Of course, young ladies dream about their weddings and stuff like that. But I want it to be perfect. Not perfect, because there’s no such thing, but right.”
Kyla’s not anti-marriage. She’s just pro-doing-it-on-your-own-terms.
The actress has consistently emphasized that marriage isn’t what defines a successful relationship. She believes the pressure to conform to society’s expectations, especially for public figures, can lead people to rush into things they’re not ready for.
“There’s a lot of pressure that comes with that piece of paper,” she once told DJ Vlad. “Why not work on your relationship before jumping into that pressure?”
If that sounds familiar, it’s because she’s taking a page out of the Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn handbook, decades together, thriving family, no marriage certificate required.
“Even if we wanna do some Kurt Russell-Goldie Hawn-type thing … They’ve never been married, still together, got all these kids, and still strong,” Kyla added.
Danny Kirkpatrick, also known as KP, is more than Kyla’s longtime partner. He’s a self-made artist from Compton, California, who turned his passion for drawing into a career in tattooing and music. After overcoming a setback in 2005 due to a non-violent drug offense that cost him his scholarship, Danny turned to tattooing full-time, eventually building his name and career in Compton’s creative scene.
The couple met in 2008 through one of Danny’s cousins, who happened to be friends with Kyla. The connection was instant. Since then, they’ve built a tight-knit family, including daughters Lyric (born in 2010) and Liyah (born in 2013). Kyla also lovingly refers to Danny’s son from a previous relationship as her “bonus baby.”
Marriage, they say, might happen one day. But for now? They’re good.
