Regina King Reads Late Son's Journals to Stay Connected: 'I Savor the Moments'

Regina King Reflects on Her Late Son and New Wine Venture

Regina King, the Oscar-winning actress, has opened up about her late son, Ian Alexander Jr., in a recent interview. Three years after his passing, she shared heartfelt memories and reflections on how she continues to stay connected to him through various means.

King, who is 54 years old, revealed that she still keeps all of Ian’s journals, which she reads in moments of meditation. “I savor the moments because I don’t want to ever finish reading his journals,” she said, adding that she often finds comfort in these writings. One particular moment stood out to her when she discovered an “M” drawn beautifully in one of the journals, resembling a music note on one end. This drawing was later incorporated into the label of her new orange wine brand, MianU, named in honor of her son.

The MianU label features Ian's name right in the middle of the “M” for “me” and “U” for “you.” King shared that she believes Ian would have been proud of the artistic representation of his work. She also mentioned that the artist behind the label had previously worked on iconic album covers like Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Fleetwood Mac’s albums.

Ian passed away by suicide in January 2022, just days before his 26th birthday. He was the only child of King and her ex-husband, Ian Alexander Sr., a record producer. In her interview, King discussed the challenges of understanding her son’s mental health struggles. “From going to all the therapists and psychiatrists, he never presented that [side of him], but we would see it,” she said. “We would talk about it. His father, me, some of his friends.”

She explained that those close to Ian were aware of his long battle with depression. “So those very, very, very close [to him] were aware of Ian’s depression and how long he struggled with it,” King continued. She also reflected on how she is now beginning to understand the layers of his depression and the difficulty of watching her son go through such emotional pain.

“[You’re] doing all of the things [you can to help], but you have to accept that they don’t want to be here anymore,” she said. Despite his internal struggles, King recalled that Ian always wanted to create special moments, even in the simplest of times.

Before his death, King described how Ian would engage with others, making them feel as though he was overcoming his depression. “When he’s talking to you, looking at you, it may seem like, ‘Oh, he’s getting over this depression.’ That’s not the case,” she told Parade.

King also shared a meaningful experience related to her new venture, MianU. Before launching the wine, she felt as if her son was sending her approval. During a meeting with a group of nuns, her friend asked them to try the wine after she hesitated to do so herself. The nuns immediately became fans, and King felt a deep sense of connection and validation.

“I had literally found the blend,” she said. “This was it.”

For those struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, or substance use problems, support is available. Individuals can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for 24/7 assistance.