Source: Jon Kopaloff / Getty
Nia Long is seeking legal and physical custody of her 11-year-old Kez, whom she shares with her ex longtime partner Ime Udoka.
The actress filed her request in the Los Angeles Supreme Court Aug. 14. Her legal document argued that Udoka, an NBA basketball coach, “has failed” to support their son, according to Entertainment Tonight.
Regarding her proposed custody agreement, The Best Man star asked that Udoka get “reasonable visitation” that’s “consistent with the child’s best interest.”
Long and Udoka’s over decade-long romance hit turmoil in September 2022 following a cheating scandal the coach was reportedly involved in with a Boston Celtics staffer. The couple officially ended their relationship that December.
Months after news of the cheating scandal made headlines, Long condemned the Celtics for how it was handled. She told The Hollywood Reporter that it was “heartbreaking” to see her son’s face after the NBA team made “a very private situation public.”
“It was devastating, and it still is. He [Kez] still has moments where it’s not easy for him. If you’re in the business of protecting women — I’m sorry, no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK. It’s very disappointing,” the protective celebrity mother stated.
The 52-year-old actress additionally told The Cut in February that Kez was going through “a really tough time.” In that interview, Long called the 11-year-old her “only focus.”
“I’m sure I have some things that I’m suppressing, but I have to do that to take care of him first. That’s the giving. It’s natural,” she noted.
In addition to Kez, Long shares Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, 22, with actor Massai Z. Dorsey. In mid-August, the mother of two posted a snapshot of her and Kez enjoying some bonding time. Read more on that below.
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