Paris Jackson reveals secret engagement during drug addiction; ring had been purchased with her money

Paris Jackson is opening up about two deeply personal chapters of her life, revealing that her engagement to Justin Long was not the first time she had planned to marry. The 28-year-old singer and daughter of the late Michael Jackson said she had previously been secretly engaged during a period when she and her former partner were heavily using drugs. 

Jackson shared the revelation during an August 12 appearance on Alex Cooper‘s Call Her Daddy podcast, where she also explained why she ultimately ended her more recent engagement to music producer Justin Long.  “This is also my second engagement that I called off,” Jackson told Cooper. Jackson made clear that she does not dismiss the emotions she experienced during that earlier engagement simply because addiction was part of her life at the time.

“The first one, I don’t know if you could count the first one, [but it] was real to me,” she said, according to Us Weekly. Jackson added that she and her former fiancé were “strung out on drugs” and claimed that the ring had been purchased with her money without her knowledge. Still, she said, “the love was so real for me.” 

For Jackson, that history meant ending her engagement to Long carried an additional layer of emotional weight. “So this was like, ‘Eh, it was the second one,'” she joked before clarifying, “No, it wasn’t that casual.” 

Why did Paris Jackson and Justin Long end their engagement?

Jackson and Long were linked for roughly three years before their engagement ended in 2025. Long, a music producer, engineer and mixer, had initially worked with Jackson professionally before their relationship became romantic. The couple announced their engagement in December 2024.

By the summer of 2025, however, the relationship was over. Jackson publicly confirmed the split on July 31, 2025, after photographs showed her crying. Responding to speculation about why she appeared emotional, she clarified on X, “Those are breakup tears.”

Now, more than a year later, Jackson is providing a clearer explanation for what happened behind closed doors.”It was a choice that I needed to make to be happy,” she told Cooper. 

Jackson admitted that walking away was not an immediate or simple decision. There were moments when she tried to end the relationship but questioned whether staying longer could eventually make things better. She described having a persistent thought that asked whether things might improve “if I had just hung in there a little bit longer.” 

Jackson said she needed to feel completely certain before making such a significant decision. “I’m the person that needs to be sure,” she explained.

Paris Jackson says being a “good person” isn’t enough for a relationship

One of Jackson’s biggest realizations appears to have been separating someone’s character from their compatibility as a romantic partner. Jackson said she had support from a therapist, clinical psychologist, coach and friends while examining her relationship and determining what she actually needed from a partner.

Eventually, she arrived at a straightforward conclusion: “Just because someone is a good person doesn’t mean they’re my person.”

She also said she learned that her relationship standards did not need to be continually compromised to make a partnership work. “My non-negotiables are allowed to be non-negotiables,” Jackson said.

For Jackson, loyalty alone was no longer enough reason to remain in a relationship if other major emotional needs were going unmet. The singer said seeing healthy marriages among men she knows has also helped her recognize that commitment and loyalty are realistic expectations, rather than qualities she should consider exceptionally rare.

That realization appears to have changed what Jackson is willing to accept in future relationships. “I can be a little bit pickier,” she said. “The bar can be raised a bit because it’s historically been very low.”

Paris Jackson reflects on addiction and six years of sobriety

Jackson’s revelation about her first engagement also intersects with another major part of her story. The musician has spoken publicly about her past addiction to heroin and alcohol. In July 2026, she reflected on being six years sober and credited music with helping her survive difficult periods before she stopped using drugs and alcohol. 

Jackson previously marked five years of sobriety in January 2025, identifying herself publicly as an alcoholic and heroin addict while sharing a video documenting parts of her recovery. She credited sobriety with allowing her to experience everyday life, relationships, music and even heartbreak more fully. “hi, i’m pk and i’m an alcoholic and a heroin addict. today marks 5 years clean & sober from all drugs and alcohol,” she wrote on Instagram.

During her Call Her Daddy conversation, Jackson explained why complete sobriety became necessary for her rather than attempting to use certain substances in moderation. “If I have a hit of weed or a drink, I’m going to go back on heroin,” she said.

Jackson said that after eliminating some harder substances, she realized she still could not control her marijuana or alcohol consumption. “I just couldn’t stop and it was just getting worse,” she recalled, adding that she eventually reached her “breaking point.”

Her recent comments are consistent with other interviews Jackson has given about recovery. In May 2026, she discussed her addiction and sobriety on Jack Osbourne’s Trying Not to Die podcast, including how alcohol affected her behavior and how multiple attempts at treatment preceded her sustained sobriety. 

Paris Jackson’s breakup changed what she wants from love

Jackson’s latest interview suggests that the end of her engagement was less about one explosive incident and more about acknowledging incompatibilities she could no longer ignore.

Before the breakup, the relationship had appeared to be moving firmly toward marriage. Jackson and Long had begun wedding preparations, and reports following their split noted that plans had included a venue, dress preparations and a selected wedding date. Ending that engagement forced Jackson to reconsider what she wants from a long-term partner.

Being single afterward, she explained, helped her realize she did not want to keep overlooking significant issues simply to preserve a relationship.

The experience also appears to have given Jackson a different perspective on her romantic history. Her first secret engagement happened during active addiction. Her second came years into sobriety, when she had access to therapy, trusted friends and a clearer understanding of her own boundaries.

Paris Jackson is a singer, songwriter, model and actress and the daughter of the late Michael Jackson. In recent years, she has increasingly spoken publicly about music, relationships, addiction recovery and how sobriety has reshaped her life.