Nia Long and Coping with Heartbreak
It can be hard to cope with a broken heart, especially after a long-term relationship. Actress Nia Long opened up about her recent split from her longtime fiancé Ime Udoka, and the cheating scandal that accompanied it. Long shared her experience with New York magazine’s The Cut and revealed that the hardest part was helping her son, Kez, through it.
Long said she’s still trying to process the hurt from Udoka’s infidelity. “I’m still figuring it out,” she said. “I’m still going, Wait, did this really happen? Because, you know, you’re with someone for 12, 13 years, you think you know them.” Long also noted that the Boston Celtics’ handling of the situation didn’t help the process.
“My only focus right now is my youngest son ‘cause he’s having a really tough time,” Long said. “I’m sure I have some things that I’m suppressing, but I have to do that to take care of him first.”
Long also shared that her priority has always been raising her sons to be “gentlemen and respectful of women.” As for people showing romantic interest in her following her split, Long said she’s not ready for a serious relationship yet.
“I want to go out and have amazing, important, deep, thoughtful conversations,” Long said. “I want to travel. I want to laugh. I want to cook with my kids and listen to music. I want a good glass of wine. I want a good goodnight kiss… I’m just trying to enjoy the moment.”
Long said the outpouring of support from fans was a huge help in the healing process. “It saved my life and mental well-being,” she admitted. “It left me feeling uplifted by the community — almost like family … checking in and making sure I was okay.”
Long was also grateful for the chance to get some closure with her character, Jordan Armstrong, in Peacock’s The Best Man: The Final Chapters. “The wonderful thing about Jordan this time is she chose herself,” she said. “Which is a lesson I had to learn big time in my life.”
Long has been open about her struggles, yet she remains focused on the future. “You pick yourself back up and you keep moving,” she said. It’s a reminder that regardless of how hard the journey may be, there is always hope for a better tomorrow.
