How old was Regina King's son? Age and all explored as Oscar winner speaks out about son Ian Alexander Jr's death

On Thursday, March 14, 2024, actress and director Regina King appeared on Good Morning America and spoke for the first time about her son’s demise after more than two years.

King’s only child, Ian Alexander Jr., who was an aspiring disc jockey and recording artist, died by suicide in January 2022 at the age of 26. Since then, Regina King has maintained her silence on the matter, until the recent interview with Robin Roberts.

The Oscar winner said she is “a different person now” and how the triggers were different every time, mixed with laughter, smiles, and tears, but his absence always felt “loud.”

“Grief is a journey, you know. I understand that grief is love that has no place to go… 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,” she added.

Regina King shared her late son with former husband and label producer Ian Alexander Sr., with whom she was married for a decade between 1997 and 2007.

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Exploring closely what Regina King said about her son’s death in a recent interview

Regina King sat for her first-ever exclusive TV interview on Thursday since her son’s untimely passing over two years back. She appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America with co-host Robin Roberts and discussed Ian Alexander Jr.'s continued influence on her.

Wearing the color orange as a tribute to her son, as it was his favorite color, Regina King replied that “grief is a journey” when asked how the last couple of years have been since losing her only child. In addition, she mentioned that even though she shared the “grief with everyone,” nobody else was his mother, and they did not understand her sadness.

"The sadness will never go away. It'll always be with me. And I think I saw somewhere, the sadness is a reminder of how much he means to me, you know?" she stated while also mentioning her mental health struggles, including depression.

The 53-year-old Southland star further continued,

“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, you know, that he didn't wanna be here anymore, that's a hard thing for other people to receive because they did not live our experience, did not live Ian's journey."

Moreover, Regina King stated how Ian struggled ahead of his demise which made her “so angry with God,” as she kept wondering “why would that weight be given to” her son.

As she teared up, the four-time Primetime Emmy Awards winner recalled that she helped Ian with therapy, visited psychiatrists, and got him enrolled in rehab programs, but nothing ever seemed to help him in the long run, eventually rendering him “tired.”

"Sometimes, you know, 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’?" she mentioned while talking about finding it difficult to accept Ian’s death.

The Watchmen actress wrapped up by saying how she was slowly getting comfortable in her grief and was no longer shying away from discussing her late son, reminiscing about all their red-carpet appearances, and other joys and happiness they shared, saying it was vital for her to honor him in “totality.”

Regina King also explained how she often felt his presence calling it “Ian-spirations” saying it was the universe’s way of reminding her that he is always around.

"My favorite thing about myself is being Ian's mom. And I can't say that with a smile, with tears, with all of the emotion that comes with that. I can't do that if I do not respect the journey,” she ended.

Elsewhere in the interview, Regina King told Robin Roberts that her forthcoming film Shirley, in which she plays the titular role of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to serve in the United States Congress and run for President, is dedicated to her son.