In a new social media post, the comedian says that Thompson’s ex, Christina Evangeline, was the only person there who helped him with his addiction issues … and “in that time, we fell in love.”
Comedian Chris Redd has decided to kick off 2026 with a resolution that he’s going to lead his life “with a lot more vulnerability and openness.” As part of this, he opened up about his struggles with addiction, and how that connects to him falling for Kenan Thompson’s ex-wife Christina Evangeline.
Thompson and Redd had a long working relationship, which included Saturday Night Live from 2017 to 2022 and co-starring together on Thompson’s sitcom Kenan from 2021 to 2022. Redd has also stated that he’d known Evangeline from before he joined SNL. Thompson and Evangeline were married 11 years and share two daughters, Georgia, 11, and Gianna, 7.
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By September 2022, media reports began circulating about Redd becoming romantically involved with Evangeline, just months after TMZ reported in April 2022 that she and Thompson had separated. In his new video, Redd reiterates that there was no overlap in the relationships.
As part of his resolution, Redd posted his video to finally break his silence and talk about how he wound up dating his friend and coworker’s ex-wife, and how it relates to a drug addiction that he claims involved other SNL castmates.
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“I know a lot of people talk about me dating Kenan Thompson’s ex-wife and how that came to be,” Redd said in his video, “Imma just tell it to you straight.”
He went on to emphasize that there was “no plan” to get with Evangeline, instead insisting that it happened organically. “I’m not the type of person to scheme on a person,” Redd insisted. “I’m not the type of person to even date somebody that like, one of my homies has dated. This is a very unique, nuanced thing that happened.”
He went on to say that everyone was cool throughout the situation. “It was never anything crazy until it got crazy,” he added.
He then started adding context to the “crazy,” explaining, “Bottom line is, while I was at [SNL] I had some pill issues, I had some pill problems; nothing too crazy, but crazy for my Black ass, you know?”
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“I was even selling some to some of my castmates,” he claimed, before quickly adding, “I’m not gonna snitch on y’all motherf–kers, man.”
He said that during this time, while he was struggling with his addiction, he’d hear coworkers talking about him behind his back, but not trying to offer him any help. “I would hear them because, you know, some of that Adderall s–t got you super hearing and s–t,” Redd said.
“But [they] wouldn’t help me, you know. I would have panic attacks, [they] wouldn’t be concerned about me or nothing, just would talk s–t,” he continued. “It’s crazy how somebody would watch you destroy yourself, you know.”
In the midst of all of this, Redd said that it was Evangeline who was “the only one to call me on my s–t, help me with my s–t, she helped me with my therapy journey, and she told me things about her life that made me look at a lot of people involved in it differently.”
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“In that time, we fell in love,” Redd continued, “and I felt bad from the start.”
“It’s always felt like an emotional double-edged sword for me, because I really love everything me and Kenan did, bro,” the comedian explained. “I really appreciated every piece of work that we put together, I think that we were a great team, and I hate doing something to somebody that I know would hurt them.”
Redd said that he and Thompson did discuss his relationship with Evangeline, with both of them agreeing to keep things “under wraps.”
He said that they continued working together for a year before “everybody found out and s–t changed.” By then, of course, he’d already exited SNL and Kenan had been canceled, so he and Thompson were no longer working together anyway.
“I don’t feel player for this s— at all,” Redd said in his video, visibly breaking down in tears, “but I did choose love.” At the same time, he knows that the decision “made me look terrible, made me look terrible to people I love.”
He said he doesn’t feel like a pimp, he doesn’t “feel cool about this at all, except for I found someone that makes me feel like I didn’t even know what love was, for real. I just felt like I couldn’t miss out on it.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, get help. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress.
