Melanie “Mel B.” Brown recently shared a harrowing moment where she almost took her own life after returning from dinner with her then-husband, Stephen Belafonte. She explained that the abuse she experienced from Belafonte intensified as she gained more attention from the media. Brown swallowed pills in an attempt to end her life, but instantly regretted it. Despite informing Belafonte of her actions, he did not show concern for her well-being.
In her 2018 memoir, Brutally Honest, Brown revealed that she had previously taken nearly 200 aspirin pills in an effort to escape her marriage to Belafonte. She described feeling emotionally battered, estranged from her family, and detested by her husband and manager. After 10 years of marriage, Belafonte was allegedly threatening to destroy her career and family with sex tapes, a claim he addressed on a podcast by confirming the existence of intimate recordings.
Following her divorce from Belafonte in 2017, Brown has since found happiness in a new relationship. She got engaged to hairstylist Rory McPhee in October 2022, after three years of dating. Brown admitted that due to the abuse she endured in her previous relationship, she struggled with trust and self-esteem. However, with McPhee, she felt safe and supported, as he was already a trusted family friend.
Brown, who is a mother of three, including daughters from previous relationships with Jimmy Gulzar and Eddie Murphy, expressed that her relationship with McPhee feels different from her past experiences. Despite initial hesitations about entering into another relationship, she found comfort in McPhee’s presence and support. Brown’s story serves as a reminder that it is possible to find love and happiness after enduring trauma and abuse.
For those who may be struggling or in crisis, help is available through hotlines and chat services. Brown’s full interview, where she discusses her journey to finding happiness and healing, will air on The Drew Barrymore Show on March 28th. Through sharing her story, Brown hopes to inspire others to seek help and find a path to healing and recovery.
