Tia Mowry found a good use for her wedding ring after filing for divorce from Cory Hardrict.
During the Friday, October 11, episode of her show, Tia Mowry: My Next Act, the actress, 46, broke down while putting on the jewelry again on screen.
“I haven’t worn my wedding band for two years now and it just doesn’t feel right to sell it. But what I am wanting to do is change my wedding band into something for my kids. Pass it down because they have been my biggest gift,” Mowry said before taking a break to cry. “I do want to do it because I haven’t worn it. It has just been sitting there. It was very pretty. If it is made into something else then it is put to use.”
The decision was still “sad” for Mowry, who added, “This is a symbol of a marriage and it is no longer. I would rather the kids have something.”
Later in the episode, Mowry visited a jewelry store that helped appraise her ring. She reflected on how this step represented a new chapter in her life.
“It is hard for me to not think about Cory when I am deciding to repurpose my wedding band,” she reflected. “But I am learning that at the end of the day, I need to make this decision for me. I think because it is going to the kids, it is going to be OK.”
Mowry chose to make her 13-year-old son, Cree, a chain while her 6-year-old daughter, Cairo, would get a bracelet.
“I just think it is so beautiful to transform something that was given out of love and to give it to your children,” Mowry continued. “It makes me feel like my marriage wasn’t a waste. I did the right thing.”
Mowry confirmed in October 2022 that she and Hardrict, 44, decided to part ways. They finalized their divorce in April 2023.
“I have always been honest with my fans, and today is no different. I wanted to share that Cory and I have decided to go our separate ways,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “These decisions are never easy, and not without sadness. We will maintain a friendship as we co-parent our beautiful children. I am grateful for all the happy times we had together and want to thank my friends, family and fans for your love and support as we start this new chapter moving forward in our lives.”
The former couple exchanged vows in 2008 after eight years together. They later expanded their family with son Cree in 2011 and daughter Cairo in 2018.
Since their split, Mowry has opened up about how she and Hardrict have prioritized coparenting.
“I talk to [Cory] every single day. We tell each other [that] we love each other every single day,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2022. “He is family and he will always be family and a part of our lives forever.”
Mowry has also used her platform to highlight the ups and downs of navigating a divorce in the public eye.
“Recovering from a divorce feels like a whirlwind journey. I found out through the process that divorce isn’t a place where we arrive, it’s entering a new chapter in life with many nuances, and no one-size-fits-all handbook,” she said in an Instagram video in April. “One moment you’re relieved, feeling like you’ve conquered something significant, then suddenly emotions hit you all over again.”
In the social media upload, the actress reflected on the “side of divorce that isn’t often discussed” when there are kids involved.
“You strive to be a role model, teaching them resilience and self-care. You try different things to soothe and release emotional buildup,” she noted. “Exercise, journaling your thoughts, meditation, and seeking therapy to cope with the breakup and the dreams you had for the future.”
Mowry got emotional while addressing her personal challenges, adding, “Someday I believe I’ll be able to look back on this time with nothing but warmth and gratitude for the beautiful children brought into my life and the stronger version of myself that emerged from the experience. For anyone who’s going through this I would love to hear your experience. Share your story because there’s power in dialogue.”
Tia Mowry: My Next Act airs on WeTV Fridays at 9:30 p.m. ET.
