Jussie Smollett Announces Engagement to Jabari Redd With Heartfelt Birthday Surprise
Jussie Smollett is kicking off his birthday in the most heartwarming way possible — with a “YES.” The former Empire star popped the big question to his boyfriend Jabari Redd just one day before turning 42, and now fans and family are celebrating a moment that proves love still wins.
The couple made the engagement Instagram-official, with Jussie posting a series of intimate photos showing the exact moment he dropped to one knee, reportedly outside a cozy restaurant. “I’ll be spending my birthday with my Fiancé,” he captioned the post, adding, “He said YES.”
Of course, the comments lit up in seconds.
“Screaming with tears of joy,” his sister Jurnee Smollett wrote. “My whole heart loves both of you @jussiesmollett. Welcome to the family @jabriredd.”
Their older sister Jazz chimed in too with all the energy: “Yaaaass,” she wrote. “Welcome to the family Jabari!!! Love y’all!! Sooooo happy for you both!”
This moment isn’t just about love — it’s about reclaiming joy, regardless of public perception.
This Moment Means More: Jussie Smollett’s Road From Scandal to Healing
Now look, let’s keep it real… folks online were quick to bring up the elephant in the room. But no, this engagement ain’t no “hoax.”
Smollett has been under intense scrutiny ever since the highly publicized 2019 incident in which he was accused of staging a hate crime in Chicago. The case led to a legal firestorm, criminal charges, public backlash, and a six-count felony conviction for disorderly conduct. But despite the chaos, Jussie has maintained his innocence and continued to fight the narrative around his name.
In 2022, he was sentenced to 150 days in jail (of which he served six) and placed on probation. But more than anything, the moment put his personal life — and his mental health — on full display. For a while, Jussie kept a low profile, stepping back from the limelight and focusing on healing.
And now, just a few years later, he’s showing the world that despite everything, he’s choosing love.
Jussie hasn’t said much publicly about Jabari Redd, and their relationship was kept private until now. But this engagement is the actor’s first public declaration of love since the scandal — and it’s hitting different.
This ain’t just a ring. It’s a reset.
Family, Love, and a Fresh Chapter for Jussie Smollett
The Smollett family has always been tight-knit, and if you’ve followed Jussie long enough, you know that his siblings have ridden for him through thick and thin.
Their public joy about this engagement says a lot about where Jussie is emotionally — surrounded by people who never let him fall too far, no matter what the headlines said.
From the outside looking in, this engagement marks a major shift. Not just in his personal life, but in how he’s stepping forward again. Quietly, intentionally, and with love at the center of it all.
Smollett didn’t drop names in his engagement post or go on a media tour — he simply showed up, smiled, and said “I do” to a future with the man he loves.
It’s giving “unbothered.” It’s giving “grown.” And most of all — it’s giving “healing.”