Celebrity Couples
Karamo Brown and Jussie Smollett Spark Romance Rumors with PDA-Packed Outing
Karamo Brown and Jussie Smollett are igniting romance rumors.
TMZ shared new photos of the pair out and about in Los Angeles Monday, June 29, in which they appeared to be on a date. In the PDA-packed pics, the former Queer Eye star, 45, and Empire alum, 44 were seen grabbing lunch with Brown’s mom and running errands before going on a hike through L.A.’s Runyon Canyon.
Smollett donned a black Nike zip-up, white T-shirt, black shorts and sneakers for the occasion, while Brown wore a green graphic hoodie with the words “The Rich Uncle” plastered across the front. He paired the sweatshirt with black shorts, a fitted baseball cap and a pair of black, high-top Converse sneakers.
Smollett and Brown were never far from each other’s side in the pics, with the pair all smiles as they made their way around town. The photos seemed to signal a strong bond between the pair, with one shot even capturing Smollett playfully cupping Brown’s chin.
While neither Brown nor Smollett have confirmed the romance, per TMZ’s report, the pair are an item.
The rumored romance comes just weeks after TMZ reported that Smollett and his former fiancé, Jabari Redd, had called off their engagement after nearly three years together. According to the outlet, the split was amicable. Brown, meanwhile, ended his relationship with photographer and art director, Carlos Medel, in early 2025, after several years of dating.
It also follows a turbulent few years for them both, with Smollett easing back into the public eye after an Illinois Supreme Court overturned his 2021 conviction for staging a racist and homophobic attack on himself. Smollett continues to maintain his innocence following the incident, and even appeared in a Netflix doc about the trial.
Brown, for his part, recently detailed his decision to step away from Queer Eye amid the show’s 10th season and final season earlier this year, citing a toxic, bullying-heavy work environment and fractured relationships with co-stars Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski and Tan France. In a recent interview with People, Brown said he felt “depressed” behind the scenes. The self-help guru also revealed he secretly relapsed with substance abuse after season 3, but is now in recovery.
