For months, Taraji P. Henson’s fans have been speculating that she and her fiancé may have called it quits, and it looks like they were right. The couple has in fact ended their engagement and Henson confirmed the news during an interview on The Breakfast Club.
Henson was first spotted this summer not wearing her engagement ring in photos on Instagram, sparking questions from fans, then Hayden was noticeably absent from her 50th birthday celebration in September. Henson revealed their breakup when answering a question from Charlamagne tha God about how women handle the drama from men in their relationships.
“I’m dedicated to the black man, y’all. I just turned 50 and I mean, I hadn’t said it yet, but it didn’t work out,” Henson said. “I tried. I was, like, therapy. Let’s do the therapy thing, but if you’re both not on the same page with that then you feel like, you’re taking it on yourself, and that’s not a fair position for anybody to play in a relationship.”
The couple was originally supposed to tie the knot this spring but postponed their wedding due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Henson also revealed they did attempt to make the relationship work before calling it quits. As a huge proponent of mental health in the Black community, Henson revealing that they did try therapy together wasn’t a surprise, but she went on to allude to the fact that ultimately it came down to happiness for them.
“My happiness is not his responsibility and his happiness is not mine,” Henson shared. “We have to first learn how to make ourselves happy to make each other happy. And so, when one person is taking the weight of the entire relationship, it’s never gonna work. You have to show up and yes you want to be understanding but you can’t lose yourself in that understanding. You have to still stand up for yourself and be there for yourself. But it’s hard to do if the other person is doing that part either. That’s why relationships are so difficult—they’re difficult.
Henson first confirmed that she and Hayden were officially dating back in December 2017 during an exclusive interview with ESSENCE’s Yes, Girl! Podcast while they were vacationing in Jamaica.
Henson and Hayden announced their engagement in May 2018 after he proposed to her for Mother’s Day, first gifting her with a Cartier bracelet then getting down on one knee with a diamond ring.
Henson and Hayden dated for two years. See photos of the couple together during happier times below.
