Chris Rock and his wife Malaak Compton Rock tied the knot in 1996 and nearly twenty years later, their happily ever after was over.
In an exclusive cover story with
Rolling Stone, the legendary actor and comedian opened up about what went wrong in his marriage and the moment during their divorce that broke him.
“My faults are magnified,” says Rock of what occurred during he and Compton-Rock’s marriage. “Your significant other, if they really love you, has a high opinion of you. And you let them down.”
The comedian said that his actions–infidelity included–were rooted in the mentality that he was the family breadwinner. That recklessness led to a greater ephiphany.
“It’s not fair,” he said. “I have a mic, she doesn’t. God forbid people are bugging her in the supermarket. That’s not cool. I’m going to have to see her at weddings and graduations.”
During their union, Chris and Malaak welcomed two daughters, Lola and Zahra.
Rock shared a story he and fellow comedian Dave Chapelle had in which Chapelle asked if he cried during the divorce process. Rock admits that he only cried once: “during the custody battle.”
“We live in a world where men are assumed to not have feelings. All my friends assume I moved into the city after my divorce, away from my girls. When I say I bought a house around the corner, it blows their minds.”
Since he and his ex’s divorce became final, Rock has moved on and found love with
CSI: Miami actress Megalyn Echikunwoke. Only time will tell what their future will hold but he hopes at some point peace will find him.
“I wanna find some peace, ’cause people usually find that peace in a horrible time,” said the 52-year-old. “Why does that have to be? Maybe I can find God without being in shambles. Maybe I can reach a higher plain spiritually without being in a near-death experience.”
Read Rock’s full interview
here as he embarks on his first headlining tour, “Total Blackout Tour” in nine years with stops in Houston, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Atlanta along with more cities and countries around the world.
