Since COVID hit and George Floyd and Breonna Taylor were killed, executive producer Ava DuVernay was ready to tackle more pertinent subjects when season 5 of Queen Sugar premiered on February 16.
The season covered topics such as the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, police violence and bigotry against African Americans, and more. Of course, it also delves further into the Bordelon family’s emotional drama, particularly that of the main character Nova, played by Rutina Wesley.
Wesley’s Nova had a lot going on, but people believed Wesley had a lot going on as well. When fans observed Wesley was wearing loose clothing in the series and Nova said she felt nauseous, fans assumed she was pregnant.
The two reasons were enough to lead admirers to believe Wesley was expecting a child, although she has yet to confirm it. On social media, the actress hasn’t spoken anything about her pregnancy or made any statements on the theory.
Rutina Wesley’s Relationship with Her Partner
In a moving Instagram post in 2017, Wesley revealed her engagement to New Orleans-based culinary genius Chef Lashonda Cross, or Shonda. “Overthinking is the primary source of our misery,” the caption stated alongside the set of photos. Maintain a busy schedule. “Take your mind off things that aren’t beneficial to you.”
The penultimate shot on the carousel showed Wesley with a diamond ring on his finger.
Prior to the engagement, the True Blood actress shared multiple images of the couple with love comments. “You are the sunshine of my life,” she wrote in a November 12 post showing the duo in a car.
However, it is unknown whether or not the two are married or are still together.
Her Instagram is now devoid of any signs of their relationship, and the original engagement announcement post has been erased. Shoda hasn’t shared any images of Wesley on Instagram either.
On The L Chat forum, fans assumed that the two had broken up. “A year ago, she split up with her fiance [sic].” Her fiance [sic] has a new woman in his life. For a long time, I’ve been following both of them. “Since the separation, Rutina has been looking awful,” someone wrote.
Jacob Fishel, Rutina Wesley’s ex-husband
Wesley was formerly married to Jacob Fishel before being engaged to her current partner.
Fishel and the Queen Sugar star married in June 2005, but after almost a decade of marriage, they filed for divorce in Los Angeles County Superior Court in August 2013, citing irreconcilable differences. Wesley requested that the judge deny Fishel any spousal support in the paperwork.
They didn’t have any children as a couple.
Wesley gushed about her former spouse to Essence in 2010, telling them that her former Juilliard grad school peer and husband was “an excellent actor, cook, and husband” who she “enjoyed immensely.” She also explained why they decided to marry.
The ex-couple believed that if they could endure four years together at the “crazy school,” they would be able to spend the rest of their lives together.
But, alas, it was not meant to be, and they were forced to split ways.