Emotions ran high on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Thursday night, when the host had to hold back tears while welcoming Regina King. It was their first interview together since King’s son took his own life in January 2022.
Kimmel introduced her enthusiastically, as he always does with his guests, but as the applause died down and she sat, he pointedly asked her “How are you doing right now?” When King smiled and answered “Right now, I’m good,” Kimmel started fighting back tears.
“Good, I’m glad to hear that. I know you’ve been through a lot the last year,” he said, with his voice cracking on the last few words.
At that, King reached across the desk and grabbed his hand, saying very seriously that “It’s good to see you Jimmy.” He returned the sentiment, though it was barely audible as he tried to keep the tears in.
From there, he eased the tension by asking if King had seen William Shatner backstage, causing the actress to laugh at the sudden shift to a lighter interview. King and Shatner starred together in “Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous,” marking a small reunion on the show.
There was no direct mention of King’s son, but she has been opening up during the “Shirley” press tour about how she’s been coping.
Kimmel, of course, understands the pain of nearly losing a son. He has previously shared on the show about his own son who was born with a congenital heart condition, and has missed several shows to be with his child through multiple procedures.
You can view the complete exchange between Regina King and Jimmy Kimmel in the video above.
