Nia Long says she and ex Ime Udoka have reached a place of peace and are focused on co-parenting their son.
In her October/November 2025 The Cut cover story, the actress opened up about how far she and Udoka have come since their highly publicized split, sharing that they’ve built a relationship centered on respect and understanding.
“This summer, I traveled with my youngest son [Kez] and my ex, Ime. We had a great time,” she told the outlet. “It was really beautiful because we’ve had a very public journey that has found its way to peace and understanding. And there’s a lot of mutual respect that we have for each other.”
She continued, “The most important gift you can give your kids is to heal your trauma. I don’t talk much about my personal life because it’s no one’s business, but every now and then people speculate on social media, and it’s like—me and Coach are good. I hope he wins. He deserves to win. He’s really great at what he does. We can have experiences with our son and make him the priority.”
Although Long admitted that “there’s still healing to be done and understanding to be had,” she’s choosing to move forward with grace.
“I’m not going to carry burdensome energy with me because that just transfers to my children and everything else in my life,” she said. “I’m proud of myself. I think we’re proud of each other as the parents of Kez, that we’re able to make this an annual thing and commit to these last sweet years of him being in grade school and high school before he goes off to college. We’re both going to be standing there watching him graduate.”
Long added that motherhood remains at the core of her world. “I talk about my kids a lot because they take up so much space in my life and in my heart. Everything I do is for them. I’m not a perfect mother. I’ve made many mistakes … My kids have seen me go through it. But that’s the type of mother I am. If I’m pissed, everyone knows. If I’m happy, everyone knows. Protect the innocence of your children, but allow them to see the truth in every situation.”
The foundation of Nia Long and Ime Udoka’s current co-parenting relationship stems from the aftermath of Udoka’s suspension as head coach of the Boston Celtics in September 2022 for violating team policies after engaging in an intimate relationship with a female staff member. At the time, Long voiced her frustration over how publicly the situation was handled and how it affected their son.
“I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public,” Long said in a December statement. “It was devastating, and it still is. He still has moments where it’s not easy for him. If you’re in the business of protecting women — I’m sorry, no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK. It’s very disappointing.”
Long and Udoka began dating in 2010, welcomed their son Kez in 2011, and got engaged in 2015 before ending their relationship in December 2022.
In August 2023, Long filed for primary custody of Kez, citing a lack of support from Udoka. The following January, the two reached a settlement to share custody, with Udoka reportedly agreeing to pay $32,500 per month in child support.
