This just in! Actors Jussie Smollett and boyfriend Jabari Redd are engaged.
Both men shared a series of photos on their respective Instagram accounts. They show Smollett, who turned 43 on Saturday, getting down on one knee and popping the questions.
“I’ll be spending my birthday with my Fiancé… He said YES. 💍” Smollet said in a caption.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Jussie Smollett proposed to his fiancé Jabari Redd pic.twitter.com/Kt2Pxpfbpu
— Boochie is the Name (@stoppfeenin) June 21, 2025
Jabari Redd
Redd has appeared on shows like Showtime’s The Chi. He also appeared in two movies directed by Smollett: 2021’s B-Boy Blues and last year’s The Lost Holiday.
Among those to comment on the engagement were two of Smollett’s siblings.
Sister Jurnee said in the Instagram comments, “Screaming with tears of joy! My whole heart loves both of you @jussiesmollett. Welcome to the family @jabariredd. ❤️❤️”
Another sister, Jazz Smollett, said, “Yaaaass!!! Welcome to the family Jabari!!! Love y’all!! Sooooo happy for you both! 🥰🥰🥰”
Movie director Lee Daniels and actress Halle Berry both commented with love-heart emojis.
When Smollett and Redd began dating is unknown. They started posting photos of each other on Instagram in 2022.
Smollett controversy
Smollett’s acting career took a dive in 2019 after prosecutors charged him with filing a false report. He claimed he’d been assaulted.
The former Empire star denies any wrongdoing and maintains two men attacked him while shouting hateful and bigoted slurs.
Smollett saw the initial charges dropped in 2019. However, following widespread criticism of this decision, authorities re-charged him in 2021. A jury subsequently found Smollett guilty of five counts of disorderly conduct.
In 2022, a judge sentenced Smollett to 150 days. He served six before he was released pending an appeal.
Earlier this year, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the decision to recharge him. This effectively brings the matter to a close.
“Because the initial charges were dismissed as part of an agreement” with Smollett and he “performed his part of the agreement”, he should not have faced repeat charges, the ruling said.
“We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust. Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution of any one criminal case would be a holding from this court that the State was not bound to honor agreements upon which people have detrimentally relied.”
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