Regina King addresses son’s suicide in emotional TV interview: ‘I’m a different person now’

Regina King is addressing her son Ian Alexander Jr.’s death for the first time in two years.

In a clip for an upcoming interview with Good Morning America, the “If Beale Street Could Talk” star, 53, reflected on how her grief has been a long road.

Ian died by suicide in January 2022 at the age of 26. He passed away on Jan. 21 — just two days after his birthday.

“What have these last two years been like for you?” host Robin Roberts asked.

“Oh wow. I’m a different person now than I was Jan. 19,” the Oscar winner replied. “I am.”

She added that her new Netflix film “Shirley” — out March 22 — is dedicated to her late son.

“Grief is a journey,” she continued. “I understand that.”

“Grief is love that has no place to go,” she continued. “And that we all handle it differently. I know that it’s important to me to honor Ian in the totality of who he is, speak about him in the present, because he is always with me and the joy and happiness that he gave all of us.”

“When it comes to depression, people expect it to look a certain way — they expect it to look heavy,” King said. “To have to experience this and not be able to have the time to just sit with Ian’s choice, which I respect and understand … He didn’t want to be here anymore, and that’s a hard thing for other people to receive because they did not live our experience, did not live Ian’s journey.”

She added that she “was so angry with God” for the tragedy at one point.

“Why would that weight be given to Ian? Of all of the things that we had gone through — therapy, psychiatrists, programs — and Ian was like, ‘I’m tired of talking, Mom,’” she said about his mental health.

“Sometimes, a lot of guilt comes over me. When a parent loses a child, you still wonder, ‘What could I have done so that wouldn’t have happened?’ I know that I share this grief with everyone, but no one else is Ian’s mom, you know? Only me. So it’s mine. And the sadness will never go away. It will always be with me,” King reflected.

At the time of Ian’s death, King said in a statement: “Our family is devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian. He is such a bright light who cared so deeply about the happiness of others.”

The “One Night in Miami…” director shared Ian with her ex-husband, record producer Ian Alexander Sr. They divorced in 2007 after a decade of marriage.

In June 2022, King made her first public appearance since the tragedy in Sicily.

She was honored at Filming Italy Festival’s awards ceremony, receiving the festival’s Women in Power prize.

The “Boyz n the Hood” star paid tribute to Ian last year on Jan. 19 via social media. She revealed at the time that she was still “processing” the ordeal.

She shared an Instagram video of an orange sky lantern in sky, and wrote: “January 19th is Ian’s Worthday. As we still process his physical absence, we celebrate his presence.”

“We are all in different places on the planet…so is Ian. His spirit is the thread that connects us. Of course orange is your favorite color…Its the fire and the calm.”

King went on: “I see you in everything I breathe. My absolute favorite thing about myself is being Regina the mother of Ian the GodKing. Continue to shine bright, my guiding light.

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If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.