Jenifer Lewis, an iconic and highly respected figure in Hollywood with a history of more than 300 performances in film and television productions since the 1980s, recently revealed that she had a sex addiction. The confession was made during an interview on actress Keke Palmer’s podcast, which was broadcast last week.
The renowned artist, aged 69, explained that the act of having sex became a relief and escape mechanism during an intense period of her career. She sought to “reduce the adrenaline” after her performances and, at the time, did not see her compulsion as a problem. This behavior is often documented in high-pressure contexts, such as the entertainment industry, where professionals seek ways to decompress.
“I don’t feel ashamed of anything,” said Lewis, who confessed to having been sexually involved with dozens of men throughout his professional career. However, she admitted that her perception of these relationships changed significantly over time, and today she recognizes that she should have valued herself in a different way, especially in her early years in the industry. “Sex was my drug,” summed up the actress.
Jenifer Lewis, who became known for playing the character Aunt Helen in the popular series ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ and participated in around 300 productions, including highly successful titles such as ‘Cast Away’, ‘Change of Habit’ and Disney’s ‘Cars’ animations, highlighted that the AIDS crisis, which spread between the 1980s and 1990s, was a turning point that made her rethink her decisions. The global epidemic has had a profound impact on society, especially artistic communities, forcing many to reevaluate risky behaviors and seek greater self-protection.
The actress described the scenario at the time with great emotion: “I lost 200 people I knew. And when I say they died like flies, it’s because it was exactly that, one after another. You got home and three people had just died. You got home and there were five funeral notices on the answering machine”, recalled Lewis during the conversation with Palmer.
She also emphasized the emotional impact of the tragedy on her generation: “It didn’t make sense, because we were too young to experience that kind of thing. You can deal with it when you’re older and wiser, and your older friends are dying. We were in our early twenties, for God’s sake.”
Currently, the star – who achieved one of his biggest successes in the series ‘Black-ish’, a role that earned him nominations for the Critics Choice Awards and The Actors Awards, from the Actors Guild (SAG) – claims to be living a moment of fulfillment. Jenifer Lewis expresses her gratitude for the life she has built. “I feel better than I’ve ever felt. I’m really happy with my life,” she said, having previously revealed her diagnosis of bipolar disorder in the mid-1990s.
