Paris Jackson is sharing more insight into why she called off her engagement to Justin Long, revealing that the decision ultimately came down to prioritizing her own happiness after realizing certain needs in the relationship weren’t being fulfilled.
During the Wednesday, August 12, episode of Call Her Daddy, Jackson opened up to host Alex Cooper about the split, which she previously confirmed after explaining that emotional photos of herself in tears were due to “breakup tears.” The singer-songwriter said ending the engagement wasn’t a decision she made lightly or on impulse.
“It was a decision I had to make for my own happiness,” Jackson said. “There were moments when I tried to walk away, but that little voice would always tell me, ‘What if things get better later on?’ I think a lot of people have that thought — ‘If I just hold on a little longer, maybe everything will work out.’”
Jackson explained that she needed complete clarity before ending the relationship. “I’m someone who has to be absolutely sure — like, really, really sure,” she said.
The interview marks the first time Jackson has publicly gone into detail about the breakup. She and music producer Justin Long got engaged after dating for about two years. Jackson announced the engagement in December 2024 with an Instagram post that has since been removed, saying at the time she “couldn’t dream of anyone more perfect” to spend her life with.
By the summer, the couple still appeared to be moving ahead with wedding plans. In June, Jackson told Access Hollywood that preparations were already in motion. “The dress is being made, the venue has been picked and the date has been picked by an astrologer, because I’m from L.A.,” she said. “I’m all about the crystals and the astrologer, and all that stuff.”
That same month, Long accompanied Jackson on the red carpet at the Tribeca Festival premiere of her film One Spoon of Chocolate.
During her Call Her Daddy appearance, Jackson revealed that therapy played a major role in helping her determine whether the relationship was truly right for her. She said she leaned on a therapist, a clinical psychologist, and what she described as a “whole council of people” who encouraged her to ask herself difficult but necessary questions.
“[They were] like, ‘Honey,’ and asking me the right questions of, ‘Why would you stay?’ And my answers weren’t good enough,” Jackson said. “Just because I’ve realized just because someone is a good person doesn’t mean they’re my person, and I have to be happy, and I realize that my non-negotiables are allowed to be non-negotiables.”
She added, “If these big major needs are not being met, it doesn’t matter that you’re a good person and you’re not going to cheat on me. That’s not a reason to stay.”
Jackson also reflected on an earlier engagement, explaining that it happened during a difficult chapter of her life. “This is also my second engagement that I called off,” she shared. “The first one, I don’t know if you could count the first one, [but it] was real to me, even though we were strung out on drugs and the ring was one that he bought with my money without me knowing.”
The daughter of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe has been candid about her recovery journey, celebrating five years of sobriety from alcohol and heroin addiction in January. Since releasing her debut album Wilted in 2020, Jackson has continued pursuing both music and acting.
As for whether she still sees marriage in her future, Jackson said she isn’t looking too far ahead. “I don’t know,” she said when asked about the possibility of a third engagement. “It’s a day at a time kind of thing for me.”
