Jurnee Smollett's parenting 'challenge'
Jurnee Smollett finds being a single parent both a "blessing" and a "challenge".
The 'Lovecraft Country' actress - who split from husband Josiah Bell in March 2020 after almost 10 years of marriage - feels grateful she's in a position to be able to take five-year-old Hunter to work with her but knows it isn't a luxury available to everyone.
She told the New York Times newspaper: "[I am a] single working mom!
"It's the biggest blessing and the biggest challenge, simultaneously. But I’m lucky I’m in a situation in which, as a working mom, I’m able to bring him with me wherever I go. I know not all moms have that benefit."
Earlier this year, Jurnee's brother, Jussie Smollett, was sentenced to 150 days jail, as well as being placed on probation and ordered to pay fines and restitution after allegedly staging a hate crime against himself.
While Jurnee has stood by the 'Empire' actor- who was released from prison on bond while his legal team work on an appeal - throughout his legal battle, she declined to talk about the situation.
However, she said: "It's no secret how heartbroken my family is.
"I am so close to Jussie. I love that man so much. He’s always been there for me, as all my siblings have. If I didn’t have my family, if I didn’t have my mom and my siblings, I don’t know where I’d be."
Jurnee, 33, previously revealed she and her estranged husbands were "best friends" before they ever started dating and she attributed their strong relationship to their friendship.
She said in the past: "We were best friends before we started even dating, so we had this really great foundation. I think one of the challenging things about any lasting relationship is that you have to be so vulnerable. I think as human beings we try to hide our flaws and try to present this perfect person, this person we wish we were to our spouse when that causes so many troubles."
