Laverne Cox explains why she broke up with her boyfriend of four years: ‘The alignment feels off’

Transgender superstar Laverne Cox recently broke up with her boyfriend of four years, despite previously saying that it was a very “healing relationship”.

Speaking on The Viall Files podcast, Cox said: “I am recently single. It’s really new, it’s literally over a month. It’s weird to talk about.”

The couple met in 2020 and have been dating ever since. Cox was initially looking for a “consistent, hot, f*** buddy” but it turned out to be more – despite a 21-year age gap.

“I am so grateful that, at this stage of my life, I’ve had a love of my dream [and] that I had an experience with a man that loved the f**k out of me and cared for me in ways that were so healing. It was just such a healing relationship. I’ve had bad relationships, a lot of childhood trauma, attachment issues, shame, all that stuff. Love can heal that. I’ve done work on myself too … there’s been so much healing that happened,” she continued.

Cox added that she thought he would be her “forever person” but decided to break up with her man because the relationship didn’t align with her values.

“I have an inner child that needs to be protected and needs to feel safe at all times. He’s an amazing man, but I have to honor and protect my inner child [and] I have to set boundaries and I have to be aligned with my values. And when the alignment feels off, then I have to make an adjustment,” she said.

The couple had a 30-day period of no contact following the breakup but recently got back in touch, with Cox saying that her ex is “still processing” the split.

Who has Laverne Cox dated in the past?

After entering the spotlight, Cox’ first public romance was with Jono Freedrix, who is the president of The Virtual Stage, a Vancouver-based film and theatre company.

They began dating in 2016 but Cox did not reveal when they split, although it would be safe to assume it was before 2017 when she began dating Kyle Draper. Draper is the CEO of the record label Mateo Sound.

During their relationship, which lasted two years, Cox did not shy away from posting about their romance and discussing it publicly.

She previously told Access: “I’m in love. It’s incredible. It’s, like, love is so incredibly healing. I’m just so happy. When you’re happy, you kind of want to, like — love is life-saving. Everybody gets along. His family’s amazing. My mom likes him. It’s good.”

In 2019, the pair split up which Cox confirmed in an Instagram post that said: “@thekyledraper and I have broken up. After much soul searching and tears from both of us, we have decided it’s time for us to go our separate ways. We decided we should make a public statement since our relationship was public in ways neither of us anticipated.”

“I am so grateful we were open to love and for every moment we had together. We have both grown in innumerable ways as a result. Now it’s just time to move on separately. We both want a breakup that honours and respects the quality of our relationship and the love we shared.”

She has support from her twin brother

Cox is well known for being a trailblazing transgender actress, most notably starring in Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black, but her twin brother is also pretty famous.

M Lamar, who is incredibly supportive of his sister and her transition and success, is a multimedia artist and musician who ultimately decided to pursue music after attending the San Francisco Art Institute and Yale for painting and sculpture.

Lamar has also appeared onscreen in Orange Is The New Black, playing Cox’ character Sophia Burset pre-transition.

Cox said that she was “really grateful” to have been able to “share a little bit of this show and this moment with him”.