Actress and reality star Apryl Jones wants to clear the air after she was spotted out with a new man months after her breakup with fellow actor Taye Diggs.
Jones and a mystery man were spotted out in France days ago during Paris Fashion Week in posts online, and immediately many noticed a dark-skinned fellow that was not Diggs. The “Comeback” co-stars dated for nearly two years and separated quietly with no official announcement about their breakup.
The former “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood” star, who shares two kids with former B2K singer Omarion, has been hanging in Paris with this African man giggling and laughing away on her digital platforms all week.
Jones made a quasi-introduction on her profile to introduce him to the world on Friday, Sept. 27.
“14 year friendship and many more memories to create! Love you dearly!” she posted on her Instagram.
“I know yall see it right?” a mischievous comment read.
While one of her 3.2 million followers wrote, “Thought that was Taye Diggs,” while another said, “Tubi Taye Diggs.”
In an Instagram Live video, captured by 9 MagTV, Jones and the guy, whose name is Huzizle, joke about her name, saying that while she is in Paris, she is no longer “Apryl Jones” but “Apple Jones.”
“You get Apryl when you get back to America,” her friend says in an exaggerated Ghanaian accent.
While Jones insisted that the two are friends, people were not buying it, even as they playfully joke about hanging out, staying up way too late and traveling in the rain. The comments under the YouTube clip lit up with speculation.
One person said, “So what is going on here…where is Taye Diggs…guess that’s out and this is in.”
Another said, “Oh her and Diggs breakup.”
Huzizle ostensibly is a car dealer and has children of his own. He is also the host of the “Exotic Ride Along” Podcast, where Jones made an appearance in April. The two talked about creating open communication with their children.
Eventually, she also took to Live again to shut down speculation about who is with her and what her on-and-off boyfriend Taye Diggs might say about her spending so much time with the guy.
“My boyfriend is at home,” she said while staring in the camera. “And my boyfriend knows where I’m at.”
Huzizle interjects, saying, “Haters,” during the video captured by 9Mag TV.
“Jesus,” she says as if exacerbated. “Because they gonna keep on being like ‘That’s your man. That’s a Temu Taye Diggs.”
Huzizle jokes that the “Rent” actor isn’t as “sexy and black like me”— which Jones debates a little before they start laughing at the nosy people in her comments.
The two giggle away while they are eating with chopsticks as they talk a little bit about how much fun they are having and explaining their friendships.
“I have friendships that are very long long friendships… very platonic relationships,” Jones said, adding, “[I have] very loyal people in my life.”
In the comment section many were stuck on the one key implication that Huzizle looks like Diggs.
“Where does he look like Taye Diggs??? IKYFL, but one thing for sure she dont have a type, she like WHATEVER likes her,” one person wrote.
“Dude don’t look nothing like Taye Diggs,” someone else said.
Diggs and Jones were first seen together in late 2021 and instantly became a hot social media couple by February 2022. Fans were cooing over their cute dance videos, where they married Diggs’ multiple talents and good looks with her youthful silly energy.
Apryl Jones gives us an update on the CVS outfit Taye Diggs picked out for her, and it looks like they almost popped out in similar fits!! 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/USoDqpOxzo
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) February 24, 2022
The former couple even appeared in some videos with Jones’ kids, Megaa Omari Grandberry, 10, and A’mei Kazuko Grandberry, 8, whom she shares with R&B singer Omarion.
However, after two years, it seemed their relationship fizzled out. The two stopped appearing together on red carpets and at events earlier this year and they have since removed any sight of each other on their separate pages.
While explaining the breakup on Live in May, Apryl said, “There are certain gems in the world that know what they want, know who they want to be with, know themselves, and a lot of times that could be intimidating … a lot of times it could be all of the things.”
Her friend George chimed in, adding, “Nobody left her. She left the situation.”
The “Best Man” actor was previously married to actress Idina Menzel, his “Rent” co-star, and they have a son named Walker Nathaniel Diggs.
Diggs and Omarion are not the only celebrities that Jones has dated. She was also linked to Lil Fizz, Omarion’s band mate, Dr. Dre and possibly The Game.
While Jones admitted she is dating someone special, Diggs is still single and waiting for love to “magically” appear, according to US Weekly. He said he’s been having some “yummy conversations” with women but none have tickled his fancy enough to move forward.
“I’ll see somebody, and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, I wonder if I should,’” he said. “I don’t have the energy. So I’m hoping that somebody will just magically [appear]. And if not, that’s cool too.”
