Jenifer Lewis, the 69-year-old star of "Black-ish," has publicly shared her past battle with sex addiction, revealing that she slept with 63 men during her career. Lewis made these revelations during a recent appearance on the "Baby, This is Keke Palmer" podcast.
Lewis described her past behavior as a coping mechanism for the pressures of Hollywood. "When you get off a Broadway stage with all that ovation and applause and people praising you... what are you gonna do?" she asked. "You're either gonna go and stick something in your arm, you're gonna smoke something, you're gonna drink something, to come down from that high." She explained, "I would have sex. Sex was the drug."
Personal Epiphany and Self-Discovery
The actress stated that her perspective shifted with the advent of the AIDS epidemic, prompting a period of introspection. "I went, 'Wait a minute. There's got to be more to life than just me clawing at the void of who am I, and what am I?'" This led her on a journey to find the meaning of genuine love. Despite four engagements, Lewis has never married and has an adopted daughter.
Lewis was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the early 1990s. After initially resisting medication due to concerns about losing her creative edge, she eventually began treatment and is now medicated.
Experience with Romance Scams
In 2020, Lewis was one of four women defrauded of nearly $400,000 by Antonio Mariot Wilson, a California gym owner. Wilson pleaded guilty to wire fraud after convincing the women to invest in a fraudulent sound design business, Ultimate FX, and a fake software company, 2nd Life. Wilson had met three of the victims, including Lewis, through online dating apps and at a Los Angeles-area gym where he worked.
Wilson reportedly stole $50,000 from Lewis, who portrayed Ruby on "Black-ish." Lewis later sued the gym and received a settlement of $13,000. According to reports, Wilson researched Lewis online before approaching her and subsequently charmed her into a romantic relationship. Within three months, he allegedly persuaded her to invest in a film industry project by falsely claiming to be an Oscar winner, despite his position as a front desk manager at a health club.
Lewis has had a prolific career in Hollywood, appearing in films such as "Beaches," "Sister Act," and "Poetic Justice," and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is also known for her roles in "The Preacher's Wife," "Cast Away," "Girlfriends," and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."