Nia Long talks about her break-up with Ime Udoka, says, "It was a wakeup call "
Nov 09, 2023
Washington [US], November 9 : American actor Nia Long shared how her broken engagement to Ime Udoka was cathartic and self-affirming, as per People.
While speaking with rapper Jeezy to promote his new album 'I Might Forgive... but I Don't Forget', 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' alum opened up about her split from her ex-fiance.
"I had a really public breakup recently," Long, 53, said in a video posted to Jeezy's YouTube. "It was a wakeup call for me in the sense of like, 'OK, you're going to do this on your own and you're going to be fine and you're not going to worry about what anyone thinks and has to say.'"
"The relationship was rocky for a very long time," she confessed, adding. "I don't believe another person can break anyone up."
Long was not the only one affected by her split from the former Boston Celtics head coach; her 22-year-old son from a prior marriage was also touched.
"I think my older son saw me trying to keep the family together. But I had to come to a place where loving myself was bigger and more important than saving anybody," she explained.
"The situation is unfortunate and painful, but Nia is focusing on her children and rebuilding her life," a source told People at the time.
After becoming engaged in 2015, Long and Udoka had a 12-year-old son named Kez. When Udoka was a Sacramento Kings player in February 2010, the former couple first got together. The Boston Globe claims that Udoka was playing against the Celtics and Long was in Boston filming a pilot for NBC when they were paired up by a mutual acquaintance.
"I think I'm exactly where I need to be," Long told Jeezy, 46, as she grew emotional. "Which is, some days, I'm totally good, and then, other days, I'm like, 'Oh God, this feels like so much work.' And then, other days, it feels like women shouldn't have to be this strong. I don't want to be this strong sometimes."
Wiping away her tears, she added, "No, I'm good. I mean, listen, it is what it is," reported People.
