For ESSENCE’s April issue, writer Jeannine Amber caught up with oh-so-beautiful Nia Long, star of Tyler Perry’s The Single Moms Club, which will hit theaters on Friday, March 7.
The actress wore a flirty Michael Costello jumpsuit and Coronet earrings for the spicy cover.
Long, who is set to star in WeTV’s first scripted series, the legal drama The Divide this fall, spoke openly about the struggle of balancing a successful career and an enriching family life. “I’m not a movie star mom who’s got a private chef, a nanny and a driver,” she revealed. Juggling her work, a relationship with boyfriend Ime Udoka (assistant coach for San Antonio Spurs) and raising her two boys, 13-year-old Massai and 2-year-old Kez, is a full-time job. “My mantra is, ‘You created this, you can handle it.'”
To keeps things in perspective Long works through the days away from her family and cherishes the time they share that much more. “I think that if you’re committed to being a great mother, single or not, you’re going to enjoy every moment you have with your children.”
What are her most treasured times with her little men? Their regular mother-and-son dance-offs! “I love when it’s just the three of us and no one can see how silly we’re acting. The preciousness of it all makes the tough days a little bit easier.”
In the heartwarming feature, Long’s eldest boy Massai penned his mom a love letter, thanking her for all she does for their family. He writes: “You are loving, and are always there for me and my little brother…You have taught me to have a voice and fear nothing but the Lord.”
