Paris Jackson Opens Up About Her “Deepest Heartbreak Ever” on ‘Red Table Talk’: “It Was The Most Intense Betrayal I Felt So Far”

Paris Jackson, daughter of the late music icon Michael Jackson, opened up about her struggles with mental health, suicidal ideation, and coming out to her religious family on today’s episode of Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk. In the interview, Jackson sat down with just Willow Smith, cutting the round table format with co-hosts Jada Pinkett Smith and Adrienne Banfield-Norris for a more intimate discussion.

The 23-year-old musician began by reflecting on her past attempts to end her own life, sharing what helped her break out of that mentality.

“A lot of people do feel regret when they try and attempt suicide,” she said. “There have been times where I did and times where I didn’t, where I was upset that it didn’t work. But I can say, several years later, that I’m really grateful that it didn’t. Things have gotten better.”

She also said people told her to “kill [herself] every day.” Jackson says she  that she ultimately came to the “morbid” realization that it “just wasn’t meant to be.”

“Just like, ‘OK, I’ve tried and tried and tried, and it’s just not working,'” Jackson recalled. “‘Maybe it’s just not my time, and that sucks.'”

Jackson continued, explaining to smith that she’s found ways to cope with depression. She specifically recalled a peaceful moment during a harvest moon last August, during which she decided to pray and give herself affirmations in front of a mirror.

“I experienced self-love for the first time in my entire life,” Jackson said. “It was this really corny moment between me, myself and the mirror… It was so intense. Just a lot of gratitude. It took a really long time to get to that point.”

After Smith commented about her sexuality, Jackson opened up about her struggle to come out to her family and revealed her stance on the situation, saying that she’s “still kind of figuring it out. But I’ve gotten to a point where I respect them, and I have love for them. I respect their beliefs. I respect their religion.”

But Jackson said she has no expectations of her family members to accept her sexuality, at the moment. “Expectations, to me, lead to resentments,” she explained. “What people think about me isn’t my business.”

Jackson also opened up about her recent split from Gabriel Glenn, her former bandmate. The pair split in August 2020, and Jackson said it was the “deepest heartbreak” she had “ever experienced.”

“It was the deepest I ever loved someone, it was the most intense I’ve felt so far and the most intense betrayal I felt so far and experienced,” she continued. “It’s definitely closed me off to that, I’m very careful with who I spend time with now and very guarded and trying to protect myself.”

She’s healing herself with music, though, saying the breakup led her to “one of the most powerful rebirths” as a musician. Jackson closed out her visit with Smith by playing some tunes on the guitar and singing with her friend.

If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.

Stream Red Table Talk on Facebook Watch