Nia Long's 2 Kids: All About Massai and Kez

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: CHRIS DELMAS/AFP

Nia Longis a proud boy mom!

TheFatal Affairactress has two sons. She gave birth to Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, her only child with ex-fiancé Massai Z. Dorsey, in November 2000. Eleven years later, she and fiancéIme Udokawelcomed their son Kez Sunday Udoka in November 2011.

Long also said she’s “very hands-on,” adding, “I certainly don’t want anyone else raising my child, so if you get the domestic stuff out of the way, and the business stuff out of the way, then you have mommy time.”

Nia Long Instagram

The Los Angeles-raised actressmet Udoka in Bostonin 2010, and the pair got engaged in 2015. Both she and the pro basketball coach have busy schedules, but she toldEssencein 2014 that her hectic lifestylemakes her appreciate family timeeven more. “I think that if you’re committed to being a great mother, single or not, you’re going to enjoy every moment you have with your children,” she said.Long and Udoka were together for over a decade before news broke in September 2022 that the Boston Celtics head coach had an affair with a colleague and wassuspended for the upcoming NBA season. TheBoyz in the Hoodactressasked for privacyin a statement to PEOPLE, noting that she appreciated the “outpouring of love and support” and was committed to her sons. “Above all, I am a mother and will continue to focus on my children,” she said.

In October 2022, theBest Manactressshared the first photo of herselfafter the scandal became public, which was a sweet selfie with both of her sons captioned with a simple black heart emoji. One week prior, a source told PEOPLE that the actress’syoung son is her “focus right now,” noting, “Her priority is making sure he’s okay and staying on his normal routine.”

Despite the turmoil, if there’s any role Long feels grounded in, it’s as a mom. “Motherhood is not easy, but it’s natural,” she toldEssencein 2012. “I worked hard to have the career I wanted, but I’ve also been deliberate about my personal life. None of this is a mistake.”

Read on to learn more about Nia Long’s two children.

Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, 24

Massai Dorsey Instagram

Long’s older son, Massai, was born in Los Angeles on Nov. 20, 2000. The actress co-parents him with her ex, actor Massai Z. Dorsey, whom she met on the set of NBC’sThird Watchin 1999 and was engaged to for 10 months before breaking things off in 2001.

Long shareddetails of Massai’s birthand a lovely note to celebrate Mother’s Day 2021, writing on Instagram, “My #1. His birth was easy and quick. He changed my life … now I’m Mommy … Praise God and my ancestors for allowing me this privilege.”

When Massai was 8, Long opened up about what it was like toraise him as a single mom, which included banning morning television so they could have quality conversations and bond.

“I think the most important thing with him is balancing the time and exposing him to things, but also showing him where I came from so he can have the desire to actually be something great in his life,” she toldSpotlight to Nightlightin 2009.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Massaigraduated high school with honorsin June 2019. A shortstop, he revealed to MLB.com in 2018 that hehoped to play baseballat the highest level. He went on to play college ball atEastern Kentucky University, though his Instagram profile currently says “NYU.”

Long is now proudly watching her college-aged sonnavigate adulthood. “And one day he became a man responsible for his self proclaimed journey and beautiful mind. I now stand back and give him the room to create greatness. @massaidorsey mommy loves you. 🖤,” she wrote on Instagram in 2020.

Kez Sunday Udoka, 13

Despite a doctor telling her it would be difficult to get pregnant again, Long and then-boyfriend Udoka welcomed son Kez Sunday on Nov. 7, 2011. “I honestly asked God for this,” the proud mom toldEBONYduring her second pregnancy.

Long spoke about the joy of hersecond pregnancyagain in a later interview withThe Cut, published Feb. 10, 2023. “I thought if it was meant to be, it would happen and I wasn’t going to worry about it either way,” she explained. “When it happened, it was pretty exciting.”

Around the time of Kez’s birth, the actress reconciled with her father. The reforming bond helped her reevaluate many aspects of her personal life, including parenthood.

“I’m a lot calmer. Less clingy and demanding. When Ime has to be gone for long stretches at a time, as he had to the first few months after Kez was born, I took it as an opportunity to nest,” she toldEssencewhenher younger son was 8 months old. “It had been a minute since I had an infant and I had to get back into the rhythm of being a new mom. I really enjoyed having the space to do that at my own pace.”

Long and Kez haveoften been seen courtsideat Celtics games, supporting Udoka and his NBA team during theregular seasonandthe 2022 playoffs. “Win or lose he’s proud!” the actress captioned a picture of Kez at the 2021 season opener.

In a December 2022 interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Long spoke about how Kez wasdealing with the controversysurrounding Udoka’s affair. “I went home to be with my son, and that was what was most important to me, because he was not having an easy time,” Long said of the boy, who she took out of school when the news became public earlier in the year.

“I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public,” she said, adding that her youngest “still has moments where it’s not easy for him.”

Long and Udoka officially called off their engagement in December 2022. A rep for the actress told PEOPLE that the couple are “no longer together butremain fully committed to co-parentingtheir son [Kez].”

In August 2023, Long filed forlegal and physical custodyof Kez, claiming that Udoka “failed” to support their son. She also requested that Udoka have “reasonable visitation” that is “consistent with the child’s best interest.”

source: people.com