Paris Jackson has spoken candidly about two failed engagements, offering a deeply personal look at the relationships that shaped her understanding of love, commitment and self-worth. The musician, who has spent much of her life under intense public attention, discussed her romantic history during an appearance on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast on August 12, 2026. While speaking about the end of her engagement to music producer Justin Long, Jackson also revealed that she had been engaged once before, although she had largely kept that relationship away from the public eye.
Jackson described ending her engagement to Justin Long as a difficult but necessary decision. The couple had confirmed their separation in July 2025 after previously becoming engaged. Looking back, Jackson said that walking away was ultimately connected to her own happiness rather than outside pressure or public opinion. “It was a choice that I needed to make to be happy,” she said. Her comments suggest that the decision was not something she reached quickly or without hesitation. Instead, it came after considerable thought about whether the relationship was truly right for her.
Public breakups can be particularly complicated for someone who has grown up in the spotlight. Jackson acknowledged that having details about her relationships discussed publicly was not entirely unfamiliar to her. She indicated that media attention surrounding her breakups was something she had experienced before and therefore did not necessarily find surprising. Her comments also placed her latest separation in a broader context, as she explained that Long was actually her second engagement that had ultimately ended.
Jackson’s revelation about her first engagement offered a more unexpected glimpse into her past. She did not identify the person involved and appeared uncertain about whether she would even describe the relationship as a conventional engagement. Nevertheless, she made it clear that the emotions she experienced at the time were genuine to her.
“The first one, I don’t know if you could count the first one.”
Jackson went on to explain that the relationship happened during a particularly difficult period of her life, when both people were struggling with drug use. Despite those circumstances, she said the feelings she experienced were sincere. “It was real to me even though we were strung out on drugs and the ring was one that he bought with my money without me knowing. It was still, like, the love was so real for me in that first one,” she said.
Her description highlights an important distinction between recognizing that a relationship was unhealthy and accepting that the feelings within it were not real. For Jackson, the circumstances surrounding the relationship did not erase what she believed she felt at the time. Her reflection also demonstrates how complicated personal relationships can become when emotional attachment exists alongside serious problems.
When discussing her relationship with Long, Jackson acknowledged that she had previously struggled with the idea of ending it. Even after considering separation, she found herself wondering whether staying longer could eventually lead to a different outcome. “There were times where I did try and end it, but there was this little voice being like, ‘But what if, however long down the line,’” she said.
That uncertainty is familiar to many people who have faced difficult relationship decisions. Ending a long-term relationship can involve more than deciding whether someone is good or bad. It can also mean accepting that a relationship may not provide what a person needs, even when there are positive qualities present. Jackson’s experience appears to have helped her understand that distinction more clearly.
One of the strongest lessons she described was the realization that being a good person does not automatically make someone the right partner. Jackson explained that she tends to want certainty before making major decisions, which made it difficult for her to walk away when she was unsure about what the future might hold. Conversations with people close to her eventually encouraged her to examine her own reasoning more honestly.
According to Jackson, some of the questions she was asked forced her to recognize that her answers were not strong enough to justify staying. “My answers weren’t good enough. Just because I’ve realized just because someone is a good person doesn’t mean they’re my person,” Jackson said.
She expanded on that idea by explaining that basic relationship expectations, such as loyalty, are not necessarily enough to sustain a partnership. “It doesn’t matter that you’re a good person and you’re not gonna cheat on me. That’s not a reason to stay,” she added, referring to Long.
Her comments reflect a broader shift in how many people think about relationships. Compatibility involves more than the absence of betrayal or major conflict. Emotional connection, shared values, communication, personal growth and a sense of fulfillment can also play important roles in determining whether two people are suited to one another. Jackson’s reflections suggest that she has become more aware of these differences through her own experiences.
The end of an engagement can carry its own emotional weight because it represents more than the end of a relationship. Engagement often comes with expectations about marriage, family and the future. Walking away can therefore mean letting go of an imagined life as much as letting go of a person. Jackson’s comments indicate that she had to work through that uncertainty before deciding that remaining in the relationship was not necessarily the better choice.
