Justice Smith's Boyfriend: The Actor Once Said Nicholas Ashe Is His 'Rock and Guiding Light'

In 2020, he made headlines when he announced that he was queer. Speaking after attending a Black Lives Matter protest, Smith made the revelation while calling for the inclusion of queer and trans black people on the agenda in the fight for equality and human rights.

While making this courageous declaration, he further revealed that he was in a relationship with fellow actor Nicholas Ashe. The couple, who met through a mutual friend, have remained together over the past couple of years, despite their brief breakup in 2021. Smith and Ashe have recently increased their public appearances together.

Justice Smith Publicly Came Out as Queer in 2020

In 2020, a then-24-year-old Smith attended a Black Lives Matter protest prompted by the unjust killing of George Floyd by a police officer. Although in support of the movement, he was disappointed at how people at the event responded to the desire to include black queer and transgender people on the agenda.

For Smith, this negative outlook on the LGBTQ+ community was a sign of selective justice by some protesters and was a shortfall of the revolution. During his appeal for a change in the perspectives of protesters, Smith revealed that he is queer. The message, posted on Instagram, noted:

"As a black queer man myself, I was disappointed to see certain people eager to say Black Lives Matter but hold their tongue when Trans/Queer was added. I want to reiterate this sentiment: if your revolution does not include Black Queer voices, it is anti-black."

Subsequently, the "Detective Pikachu" star took the occasion to confirm his relationship status by dedicating the final part of his post to his partner, Nicholas Ashe. He added several pictures of the couple brushing their teeth, posing stylishly for the camera, and being intimate in a photo booth. The words of the tribute read:

"There is so much tragedy on the timeline these last couple of days so I added some photos of me and Nic to show #blackboyjoy #blacklove #blackqueerlove. You've been my rock and guiding light through all of this and I love you so much."

Ashe is also an actor who is primarily known for his role as Micah West in "Queen Sugar," a drama series that focuses on race, slavery, and inequalities, among other related problems. The young actor had his acting breakthrough as part of the "Are We There Yet?" series cast in 2012. In 2016, he starred alongside Viola Davis in "Custody."

Justice Smith Met His Actor Boyfriend, Nicholas Ashe, through a Mutual Friend

The term widely used when someone reveals their sexuality is "coming out." However, Smith does not feel like that is a true reflection of what happened when he announced that he was queer. In an interview with GQ, he clarified that he had not intentionally used the words because they suggested he needed to explain his sexuality to people.

While giving that interview, he was asked how he and Ashe met. Hesitant to discuss their relationship without the go-ahead from his more reserved partner, Smith decided to ask for permission first. Luckily for fans, Ashe was in the next room and could easily give the affirmation to his boyfriend.

In fact, Ashe, who was in the house during the interview, came into the room and answered the question himself. He noted that the two got acquainted through a mutual friend who thought they would make good friends at the bare minimum. Their matchmaking friend was right as the pair became more than friends.

Justice Smith and Nicholas Split Briefly but Reunited

Barely a year after they first made their relationship public, there were widespread rumors that the inspiring couple had called it quits. The speculation began brewing in early 2021 after they had wiped their Instagram accounts. Smith later confirmed the breakup in April during an interview where he said:

"We're no longer together, but [the relationship] was incredibly expansive. To me, it really opened me up as a person."

However, they were reportedly back together again within a few months. Later in 2021, the couple attended the GQ Men of the Year event at the Edition Hotel in West Hollywood. Smith and Ashe arrived hand in hand in their red carpet debut as a couple.

Fast forward to 2022, and their breakup past was definitely behind them as they took part in the 2022 Calvin Klein Pride photo shoot. The event is part of the fashion brand's annual celebration of Pride month and has already featured some top names such as Indya Moore, Omar Ayuso, and Pabllo Vittar.

In addition to the photo shoot, the couple has been attending more and more red-carpet events together, and they are back on each other's Instagrams. In one of Smith's recent posts about the couple, they are shown picking fruits from a tree and seemingly enjoying themselves.