In 2001, Nicole Ari Parker eloped with a man named Joseph Falasca. Ten months later, they got divorced, and Nicole was ready to find her true soulmate. After reciting a very detailed prayer, she met Austrian-born model-turned-actor Boris Kodjoe on the set of Soul Food, and it was love at first sight.
Here’s the truth about Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker’s love story.
Her prayer
Prior to meeting Boris, Nicole was feeling lost and hopeless. Nicole asked God what she should do to find the perfect mate. In an Instagram post, Nicole revealed that God told her to write down everything she wanted in a man. In her list, she wrote that she desired someone who wanted to be a husband and a father, someone who was affectionate, loved to travel, was smart, funny, and someone with big hands and feet.
She said that God instructed her to see and feel that perfect man in her mind. She was ready to finally meet him, but she knew she needed to do some work on herself to become the perfect woman for him.
She attended therapy sessions, started going to church, remained grateful, got her affairs in order, and proceeded to love herself. And then, something truly amazing happened.
Fun fact: R&B singer Ciara did something similar prior to meeting Seattle Seahawks player Russell Wilson. You can catch up on their love story here.
How they met
On the set of the Showtime series Soul Food, Boris walked into their first rehearsal and Nicole thought he was really hot right away. She told Denim magazine (via YBF) that after falling in love with his physical appearance, they connected as friends.
They were both hesitant to start dating since they were coworkers at the time. And Boris told the New York Post that they stayed strong up until the whole Soul Food cast and crew begged them to be together. He said, “There was no booty touching until Season 2.”
Getting engaged
Nicole was in luck. Not only was she looking for a husband, but she told Parle magazine that Boris was looking for a wife too.
Four years after they met, 31-year-old Boris took 34-year-old Nicole back to his hometown in Germany where he popped the question on top of a mountain. Nicole told People magazine their proposal was “like The Sound of Music. It was so romantic.”
Health crisis
Immediately after returning home, she found out she was pregnant. Her doctor ran some tests and discovered a chromosome count was off, but she was told there was nothing to worry about.
Nicole gave birth to their daughter Sophie Kodjoe in March 2005. There were no apparent complications, so Boris left the hospital to finish filming the movie The Gospel. The next day, the neurologist entered her hospital room and told her they found a dimple on the lower part of Sophie’s spine. Further testing confirmed Sophie had Spina Bifida, a birth defect of the spine.
Nicole said their fairy-tale life crumbled right before their eyes. Racked with guilt and unable to stop crying, she still had to finish planning their wedding. Instead of having a huge ceremony in Los Angeles like they originally discussed, they decided to get married in Boris’s grandmother’s backyard in Germany.
Immediately following their wedding, they flew back to the States so Sophie could have her first operation, which was deemed a success.
Dealing with post-partum depression
They welcomed their second child Nicolas Kodjoe in 2006. Although he was born healthy, Nicole told People magazine she suffered from postpartum depression. But thankfully, she had family, friends, and Boris by her side to help her through it.
How they make it work
Just because they choose to be together doesn’t mean they have to spend every waking moment with one another. Boris said that they realize that they’re both very strong individuals. And for that reason alone, they respect each other’s need for space.
As for Nicole, she told Essence that keeping a man is really basic. She stopped doing a lot of unnecessary things early on in their relationship. She said, “He didn’t need me to show my love by organizing his sock drawer.”
One of her favorite ways to show him how much she appreciates him is by throwing down in the kitchen. Whenever she cooks for him, it’s so elaborate, it almost feels like Christmas dinner.
She’s not worried about cheating
There have been rumors of infidelity, including the time Wendy Williams went on her radio show and accused Boris of having an affair with Gabrielle Union. But Nicole told the YBF she’s not worried about her husband stepping out on her.
Because they have such an intense connection and they want to be together and stay together, she knows that there’s no one on this Earth that can ever come between them.
What do you think about Boris and Nicole’s love story?
Beautiful!! She found her soul mate by asking God. What amazing story?
Yes, what a blessing!