NEWSKaramo Brown Fuels Jussie Smollett Dating Rumors After Hand-Holding Outing in L.A.
Karamo Brown and Jussie Smollett fuel dating rumors with a cozy L.A. outing.
July 1 2026, Updated 7:11 a.m. ET
Karamo Brown and Jussie Smollett have sparked romance rumors after they were reportedly spotted on a cozy date in Los Angeles.
Per TMZ, they were photographed showing PDA during an outing on Monday, June 29. The outlet also reported that the duo grabbed lunch with Brown's mother before running errands together.
They later went on a hike through Runyon Canyon, where they were seen holding hands.
Karamo Brown and Jussie Smollett's L.A. Outing Raised Questions
Per the outlet, the former Empire star and Brown stuck close to each other throughout their outing. They were also seen exchanging affectionate looks and smiling during their day out.
Smollett also reached out and gently cupped the TV host's chin at one point, giving the impression of a couple.
Karamo Brown and Jussie Smollett reportedly appeared loved-up during their recent date in L.A.
The duo's public appearance comes on the heels of Smollett's split from his ex-fiancé, Jabari Redd.
The minuscule time gap between the two events is raising questions about possible overlap on the filmmaker's part.
Jussie Smollett Split From Jabari Redd Just Weeks Before His Date with Karamo Brown
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Jussie Smollett and Jabari Redd's split was reportedly amicable.
Per TMZ, the Smollett Eats star called off his engagement to Redd recently after almost three years together.
A source who has witnessed the former couple's relationship unfolding told the outlet that Smollett wanted to focus on his music career and is taking time to move on.
The outlet also reported that their split was "amicable" and that both actors hold deep admiration and respect for one another despite deciding to part ways.
Jussie Smollett proposed to Jabari Redd last June.
Per the outlet, The Mighty Ducks star posted photos of his proposal to Redd last year, with the caption: "I’ll be spending my birthday with my Fiancé… He said YES."
The carousel of photos showed Smollett on one knee with an engagement ring in his hand, while his former partner appeared visibly surprised.
The following shots showed Redd reacting emotionally before a final picture of the former couple embracing.
The photos have since been deleted from the Alien: Covenant star's account.
Jussie Smollett Previously Made Headlines Over an Alleged Hate Crime Hoax
Jussie Smollett was shunned by fans for allegedly staging a hate crime hoax.
Smollett was previously shunned by fans after allegedly staging a homophobic hate crime.
Per Complex, the actor revealed in 2019 that he was attacked by two men in Chicago who called him slurs and threw bleach at him.
However, it was later alleged that The Skinny star himself paid two brothers $3500 each to stage the incident.
Although the 44-year-old actor denied the accusations, his hate crime case was dismissed by the Illinois Supreme Court in November 2024 due to a reported violation of rights.
He agreed to pay $50,000 to a Chicago charity as part of the dismissal.
