Regina King talks about her grief after son’s death

we're going to turn now to our GMA coverage story I had the privilege of sitting down with actress Regina King who stars in the powerful new movie Shirley about Shirley chism's historic run for president Regina's return to the screen and to the public comes two years after the sudden death of her beloved Son Ian this is her first TV interview since that tragedy we talked about her son's Legacy how she's been healing and what she calls her favorite thing being Ian's mom for nearly 40 years she's reigned as one of Hollywood's most versatile talents that plane does not take off unless we're both on it got it from her breakout role in the 80s sitcom 227 to her Oscar winning performance in if beill Street could talk do you think I came here to make you suffer Regina King is known for humanizing complex characters if I can't get the nomination I can still get delegates including her latest role starring in the biopic Shirley how did you prepare to play Shirley Chisum it's been a 15-year Journey since we were going to tell Shirley's story to now it actually happening and I think 15 years ago I wasn't ready to play Shirley I may have thought that I was then but I wasn't ready I needed to live more life Regina is joined by her sister Raina who co-produces and plays a key role in the film that Chronicles Shirley chism's political rise in 1972 as she becomes the first black woman to run for president we felt like there were so many people who did not know who Shirley Chisum is who she was who she is and that bugged us when you're a first when when you set out to do something that no one else has done before there's no example of that for you that's a lonely road to travel yeah and it just so happens to be an election year yeah we were like no it needs to live and be in the space now um so that if it's going to inspire anyone especially young people to be involved with the political process then we've done something right and we've also honored Shirley and we've um we' followed through with what Shirley is has unbought and boss for the last couple of years Regina has been taking much needed time away in January of 2022 her Dear Son Ian tragically passing away by Suicide you dedicated the film to your beloved Ian youran what has this time span these last two years been like for you oh wow um you know um I'm I'm I'm a different person you know uh now than I was um January 19th um I [Music] am grief is is is a journey you know I I understand that um grief is love that has no place to go I know that it's important to me to honor Ian in the totality of of who he is speak about him in the present because he is always with me and the joy and happiness that he gave all of us but behind that joy and happiness Ian's mental health took a toll when it comes to um depression that people expected to look a certain way and they expected to look look heavy and um people expect that um it's okay to have to experience this and not be able to um have the um time to just sit with Ian's Choice which I respect and understand you know that he didn't want to be here anymore and that's a um a hard thing for other people to uh receive because they did not live um our experience um did not live Ian's journey I think a lot of people a lot of people are going to appreciate that you said it was his choice and that you recognize that I was so angry with God you know that why would why would that weight be given to Ian you know of all of the things that we had gone through with the therapy psych psych with psychiatrists and programs and and he just Ian was like I'm tired of talking fing mom my favorite thing about myself is being Ian's mom and I can't say that with a smile with tears with all of the emotion that comes with that I can't do that um if I did not um respect the journey they close Bond always on full display at Regina's Red Carpet Events I I thought about him when you were on the stage at the Oscars cuz you were wearing orange that's his favorite color yes I remember he used to escort you yeah to so are there moments where he was always there with you physically that not not as a trigger but is it oh it's a trigger is it absolutely absolutely so sometimes it'll trigger um just laughter most times um as of recent it it triggers a smile um but sometimes um the absence his absence is really loud Regina admits she still struggles with acceptance sometimes you know it's a lot of guilt um comes over me when a parent loses a child you still wonder what could I have done to so that wouldn't have happened I know that I share this grief with um everyone but no one else is Ian's mom you know only me and so um it's mine and the the sadness uh will never go away it'll always be with me and I think I saw um somewhere uh the sadness is a reminder of how much he means to me you know happy sorrow is what my mother used to call it happy sorrow you said um something that Shirley Chism what are the two words unbought and unbossed so what are two words for your M to get what what would be your two words I don't know that I can two words I had two words for you do you Ian Mom that's the first thought that came to my mind I know you that's the first thought that came to my mind but I was like okay let me come up with something more profound let me that's what I was trying to but that was the first thought that came to my mind that's all right Ian's mom yeah she is she's such a special special human being and she said that often that she will feel his presence or something will be said somebody that she didn't know that her son knew will say something and she calls those her e Inspirations e Inspirations named after her son but for her to be able to find the strength at this at this point um to sit down and she was very we talked over the weekend when she was at the Oscars and she said I'm ready to talk uh you know this this film that I'm doing is is very important I know people want to talk about that I want to be able to talk about my son I'm not going to make him a poster child for what's going on I want to talk about it once and then but I love that thought that he's always with her yeah yes yes and so many wise Revelations I mean my mouth was just open listening to the wisdom come from her and she did say something and and and I was telling Rebecca about it and I wanted to come out right she she is so appreciative of the public and when she was at the Oscar people were hitting her up on Instagram like oh you're back they were great to see her she said it's wonderful that people and they have they're well intended they're well they're they're good intentions but she said when you say to somebody who's lost a child or gone that be strong she said getting out of the bed is being strong you don't need to say that to someone just breathing just walking just being is being strong yeah really beautiful and surely I'm telling you it is a terrific film it's in Select theaters Friday and on Netflix globally on March 22nd well hey there GMA fans Robin Roberts here thanks for checking out our YouTube channel lots of great stuff here so go on click the Subscribe button but right over right over here to get more of Awesome videos and content from GMA every day anytime we thank you for watching and we'll see you in the morning on GMA

Channel: Good Morning America

Views: 1,418,745

Keywords: ABC, GMA, King, News, Regina, Shirley, actress, grief, health, heartbreak, mental, movie, p_cmsid=2494279, p_vid=news-108106689, son, suicide, regina king, regina king son, regina king son ian, regina king oscar, regina king shirley, How did Regina King lose her son?, regina king son age, shirley chilsom, new regina king movie, good morning america, abc news

Id: e9nFYCO7tBU

Length: 10min 11sec (611 seconds)

Published: Thu Mar 14 2024