Regina King Breaks Silence On Son's Death After Two Years: 'I Was So Angry With God'

Regina King has opened up about her son's death for the first time in more than two years. 

The Oscar-winning actress disclosed how her life has been since her late son, Ian Alexander Jr., tragically died by suicide in January 2022 at 26 in a recent interview.

Ian was the sole child of King and her former husband and record producer Ian Alexander.

On the latest episode of "Good Morning America," King delved into how her late son has continued influencing her life posthumously. Asked how she has been the last two years, the Los Angeles native stated:

"I'm a different person now than I was on January 19. Grief is a journey, you know? I understand that grief is love that has no place to go and that we all handle it differently."

King then divulged that Ian, whom she honored at the Oscars by wearing his favorite color — orange, battled with mental health challenges. As she told Robin Roberts:

"When it comes to depression, people expect it to look a certain way, and they expect it to look heavy. And people expect that … to have to experience this and not be able to have the time to sit with Ian's choice, which I respect and understand, you know, that he didn't want to [sic] be here anymore, that's a hard thing for other people to receive because they did not live our experience, did not live Ian's journey."

As a mother, King expressed how witnessing Ian's struggles left her feeling incredibly frustrated with God. In her words:

"I was so angry with God. You know, why would that weight be given to Ian? With all of the things that we had gone through with the therapy, with psychiatrists and programs, and Ian was like, 'I'm tired of talking, Mom.'" she recalled.

Despite the time that has passed since her son's death, the 53-year-old still feels overwhelmed with guilt, especially when it comes to wondering what she could have done differently to prevent it.

Amid all that grief, King emphasized that she does not shy away from discussing Ian, who had frequently accompanied her on the red carpet.

The "Watchmen" actress mentioned that she still encounters moments that she depicts as little reminders from the universe that her son's presence endures. She affectionately dubbed them "Ian-spirations."

In the days after the news of Ian's passing initially broke, The Blast reported that King issued an official statement expressing the profound devastation felt by her family over the loss. 

She described her deceased son as a radiant presence who was deeply concerned about others' happiness. The "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous" performer concluded, "Our family asks for respectful consideration during this private time. Thank you."

The bond between mother and son was evident as they were frequently seen together at award functions and other events, portraying a close-knit family dynamic.

The affection was further reinforced during King's 50th birthday when Ian shared a sweet message to social media that partially read:

"To have you as my mother is the greatest gift I could ask for. To be all that you are while always having the time to be there, love, and support me unconditionally is truly remarkable. The whole marvel universe ain't got s—t on you, you're the real superhero! Love you, mom!"

Initially used to celebrate King's birthday, the January 21, 2021, Instagram post soon became a condolence ground after Ian's mother confirmed his death.

Mourning the loss, one fan wrote, "My heart is so heavy for you, and I am so sorry that he's gone. Praying for you."

Another person declared, "Regina, my heart breaks for your loss. I cannot imagine the Pain in your heart right now. My prayers and condolences go out to you!"

"May his Soul Rest In Eternal Peace, and May Ms. Regina King find peace again one day, So sorry for your loss," a third bereaved fan commented.

To mark Ian's first posthumous birthday, King uploaded a clip of an orange sky lantern gracefully drifting across the night sky. Alongside the video, she penned:

"January 19 is Ian's Worthday. As we still process his physical absence, we celebrate his presence. We are all in different places on the planet…so is Ian. His spirit is the thread that connects us. Of course, orange is your favorite color… It's the fire and the calm."

King concluded the post with a heartfelt sentiment, expressing how she felt Ian's "presence in every breath" she takes, and her "most cherished identity is being ... Regina, the mother of Ian, the GodKing."