Essence Atkins Is Honored To Support Tia Mowry Amid Her Divorce: “I’m Just One Of The Tentacles In Her Life”
Essence Atkins is showing her unwavering support for Tia Mowry following her divorce from Cory Hardrict.
In an exclusive interview with People, the 52-year-old actress, who’s currently on a press tour for her upcoming BET+ holiday film Queens of Christmas, opened up about her long-standing friendship with Mowry.
Atkins expressed her empathy as Mowry navigates the emotional journey of her recent split from Hardrict.
“It’s a challenge. It’s a grieving. It’s a process,” Atkins shared, reflecting on the difficulty of Mowry and Hardrict’s divorce after 14 years of marriage.
“She’s [Mowry] very fortunate. So many people love her and value her,” she continued, adding that she’s just “one of the tentacles in her life that gets to speak into her and remind her that she was with Corey for a very long time.”
“They have a family together. They have built a whole legacy together, and dismantling that, even if it was the right thing to do, it’s still a difficult thing to live through and to walk out,” the Poppa’s House star said.
Having played the older sister to Mowry’s real-life brother, Tahj Mowry, on the ‘90s sitcom Smart Guy, Atkins has long been a part of the Mowry family’s inner circle.
She also appears on Mowry’s latest reality series, Tia Mowry: My Next Act, where the former couple’s split has been openly discussed.
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“Being able to show up in compassion and in empathy because I’ve been there and I’ve done it is really an honor. I wouldn’t recommend divorce to anyone. It’s not an easy road,” Atkins shared.
“Even if it’s what’s necessary, if there’s a way to make it work, I would caution and encourage everyone to work it out if that’s possible, especially when you have kids,” she added. “But when you do decide that we can’t do this anymore, you just have to show up and be there for people and help them to live through it in grace.”
The Are We There Yet? star was married to former NFL player Jaime Mendez from 2009 to 2016. They share a 12-year-old son, Varro.
“It is really, it’s a big, big grief. It’s a big grief, especially when you’ve been with someone for as long as her and Corey have been together. So I’m honored that she trusts me just to be a safe space,” she said.
Queens of Christmas, directed by Kenny Young, features Atkins alongside Terri J. Vaughn and Vanessa Bell Calloway. The heartwarming holiday film will be available on BET+ starting December 19.
Additionally, Tia Mowry: My Next Act airs on Fridays at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on We TV, with new episodes also available for streaming on AMC’s ALLBLK platform.
