Leon Bennett/Stringer/Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
<p><strong>Nia Long</strong> is opening up about moving forward after her split from her ex-fiancé <strong>Ime Udoka</strong>. As <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/after-13-years-nia-long-ime-udoka-confirm-breakup-following-cheating-and-suspension-scandal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Shade Room</a> previously reported, the former couple parted ways in December 2022 after meeting in early 2010 and becoming engaged in 2015. Udoka, a former Boston Celtics coach, allegedly cheated on Long with a female coworker.</p>
<p>Since their split, Long and Udoka have been engaged in a custody battle regarding their 12-year-old son.</p>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">RELATED: <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/ime-udoka-responds-nia-long-filing-full-custody-11-year-old-son/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UPDATE: Ime Udoka Reportedly Responds To Nia Long&#8217;s Request For Full Custody Of Their 11-Year-Old Son</a></h5>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Nia Long Speaks On Her &#8220;Really Public Breakup&#8221;</h3>
<p>The 53-year-old sat down for an exclusive conversation with rapper Jeezy. The pair&#8217;s discussion was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZhyxRv4CyE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> on Tuesday, November 7, and titled, &#8220;I Might Forgive&#8230; But I Don&#8217;t Forget.&#8221;</p>
<p>The interview focused mainly on the rapper&#8217;s recent split from his wife of two-and-a-half years, Jeannie Mai.</p>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">RELATED: <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/jeezy-jeannie-mai-save-their-marriage-therapy-nia-long-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeezy Reveals How He &; Jeannie Mai Tried To &#8216;Save&#8217; Their Marriage (WATCH)</a></h5>
<p>However, Long also dropped gems as she spoke about her own experience with a &#8220;really public breakup.&#8221;</p>
<p>Long explained that the moment was a &#8220;wakeup call.&#8221;</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I had a really public breakup recently,&#8221; Long told Jeezy, per <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1389488/why-nia-long-says-breakup-from-ime-udoka-was-a-wakeup-call-for-her-after-cheating-scandal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E! News</a>. &#8220;It was a wakeup call for me in the sense of like, &#8216;Okay, you&#8217;re going to do this on your own and you&#8217;re going to be fine and you&#8217;re not going to worry about what anyone thinks and has to say.'&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>As far as Udoka&#8217;s infidelity, Long seemed unfazed in crediting it as the sole reason for their split.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t believe another person can break anyone up. I don&#8217;t buy that,&#8221; Long explained to the rapper.</p></blockquote>
<p>Furthermore, the 53-year-old also explained that her and Udoka&#8217;s relationship &#8220;was rocky for a very long time.&#8221;</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">The 53-Year-Old Actor Shares How She Moved Forward</h3>
<p>As Long&#8217;s sentiments continued, the actor explained how her view shifting from trying to &#8220;save&#8221; her relationship with Udoka to accepting their romance had run its course.</p>
<p>The 53-year-old ultimately explained how she moved forward.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;My older son saw me trying to keep the family together,&#8221; Long told Jeezy, per <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1389488/why-nia-long-says-breakup-from-ime-udoka-was-a-wakeup-call-for-her-after-cheating-scandal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E! News</a>, &#8220;But I had to come to a place where loving myself was bigger and more important than saving anybody.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Long added that today she feels she&#8217;s &#8220;exactly&#8221; where she needs to be, although some days can be difficult.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I think I&#8217;m exactly where I need to be, which is, some days, I&#8217;m totally good and then, other days, I&#8217;m like, &#8216;Oh God, this feels like so much work.&#8217; And then, other days, it feels like women should&#8217;ve have to be this strong. I don&#8217;t want to be this strong sometimes&#8230; [but] it is what it is.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p><amp-instagram data-shortcode="CzZH83kRsgA" layout="responsive" width="600" height="600" data-captioned></amp-instagram></p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">A Brief Recap Of The Former Couple&#8217;s Custody Battle</h3>
<p>As <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/nia-long-files-full-custody-son-ime-udoka/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Shade Room</a> previously reported, Nia Long filed for full custody of her and Udoka&#8217;s son Kez in August. The actor reportedly requested sole legal and physical custody of Kez while opting for Udoka to have visitation with the child.</p>
<p><amp-instagram data-shortcode="CwQCh83OS_r" layout="responsive" width="600" height="600" data-captioned></amp-instagram></p>
<p>In September, Udoka reportedly responded to Long&#8217;s filing. The 46-year-old reportedly requested he and Long both be awarded joint “legal and physical” custody of Kez, per <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/ime-udoka-responds-nia-long-filing-full-custody-11-year-old-son/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Shade Room</a>.</p>
<p>Whether Long and Udoka&#8217;s battle remains ongoing or a ruling has been made remains unclear at this time.</p>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">RELATED: <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/nia-long-has-her-eye-on-one-person-following-split-ime-udoka/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: Nia Long Says She Has Her &#8216;Eye On One Person&#8217;Following Split From Ime Udoka</a></h5>
 <div class="wpra-reactions-wrap wpra-plugin-container" style="justify-content: center;;"> <div class="wpra-reactions-container" data-ver="1.3.10" data-post_id="149717" data-show_count="true" data-enable_share="onclick" data-behavior="regular" data-animation="true" data-share_url="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/nia-long-moved-forward-split-13-year-relationship-ime-udoka/" data-secure="40a47892f0"> <div class="wpra-call-to-action" style="color: #000000;font-size: 25px;font-weight: 600;">What Do You Think Roomies?</div> <div class="wpra-reactions wpra-static-emojis size-medium" style="border-color: #ffffff;border-width: 0px;border-radius: 50px;border-style: solid;background: #ffffff;">					<div class="emoji-8 wpra-reaction wpra-pad-fix" data-count="" data-emoji_id="8"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-10 wpra-reaction wpra-pad-fix" data-count="" data-emoji_id="10"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-4 wpra-reaction" data-count="" data-emoji_id="4"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-5 wpra-reaction" data-count="" data-emoji_id="5"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-2 wpra-reaction" data-count="" data-emoji_id="2"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-7 wpra-reaction" data-count="" data-emoji_id="7"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-12 wpra-reaction" data-count="" data-emoji_id="12"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div> </div> <div class="wpra-share-wrap wpra-share-buttons-bordered" style="">				 </div> <!-- end of share buttons -->			 </div> <!-- end of reactions container --> </div> <!-- end of reactions wrap -->		
