Regina King Puts Her Career, Family & Friends Before Romance

In the past few years, Regina King has won an Oscar, taken home an Emmy and a Golden Globe, and directed her first feature film, One Night In Miami. But throughout all the red carpets and interviews, including the 2022 Met Gala — where she’s a co-chair alongside Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Lin-Manuel Miranda — she hasn't mentioned much in terms of a love interest. This makes fans think King isn’t dating anyone right now, and given the death of her only son Ian Alexander Jr. in January 2022, a relationship might be the last thing on her mind.

King opened up about her dating life in a 2019 interview, explaining that her many jobs and family life prevented her from having much time for a full-blown relationship. However, she admitted that she was occasionally dating. “People say, ‘You’re not dating anyone?’” she told the New York Post. “I mean, I’m dating, but it’s very comfortable where I am right now. Disrupting that means being in an uncomfortable place, and I’m not ready for that.”

Although she has had such a prolific career, King's dating history is actually pretty succinct. She married Ian Alexander in 1997 before divorcing him in 2007. “The marriage part was probably the hardest part of it all,” King told Bustle in 2021. “And I think any married couple that's remained married, hats off to them because they were able to get over those times when you’re growing at different speeds and in different directions and finding a way to bring it back and get back on the same path. That’s difficult. My ex-husband and I found that we’re much better co-parents and friends than we are as husband and wife.” Together, they had their son, Ian Jr., who had been known to support his mom at award shows. He died by suicide on Jan. 22 at just 26 years old.

Although her split with Alexander was rocky, King said that they worked to remain friends for the sake of their son. “Because of our issues, Ian was becoming the kid whose parents were so disconnected that they couldn’t even sit next to each other, let alone have a civilized conversation,” she wrote in an essay for Essence, explaining how they were able to take their first steps toward co-parenting after feeling so distant.

Four years after her divorce, King found love again with Cosby Show actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner. The pair formerly met in the 1980s when they were both sitcom stars and finally started dating in 2011, giving fans very nostalgic and sentimental feelings. King and Warner broke up two years later, reportedly leaving King feeling “brokenhearted.”

After her split, King expressed that she had no desire to start dating again, telling Wendy Williams in 2015 that she was just too busy with work and her girlfriends to make it a priority. However, that hasn't stopped fans from playing matchmaker for her.

Fans have been rooting for King to start dating Brad Pitt — or at least star in a rom-com together — after their sweet interaction at the 2020 Oscars, when she presented him with the Best Supporting Actor award for Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. She later revealed to ExtraTV what she told Pitt after his big win: “Just enjoy the moment, just shine.”