On Oct 10, VladTV released part 6 of their interview with actor Todd Bridges. The Diff’rent Strokes star revealed that he was Janet Jackson‘s first boyfriend.
Bridges also shared that he played a key part in hiring Jackson for the show.
He confessed that he was star-struck by the Grammy-winner when he used to see her walk through the company studio while she filmed for Good Times.
“I used to always see her and say, ‘Man she’s good-looking,’” he shared. “You know I wanted to meet her… I thought the best way to meet her really was to get her hired on the show.”
Per Bridges, Diff’rent Strokes and Good Times were rehearsed on the same stage, which made it easier for him to put the charm on Jackson.
He suggested hiring her when the producers of Diff’rent Strokes were looking for a girl to join the cast.
Bridges then confirmed that he and the global superstar, 57, dated for “a couple years” after meeting on set. “The most nerve-wracking thing in the world was meeting all her brothers,” he added, noting that the late Michael Jackson was her “funniest” brother.
He shared anecdotes like Michael Jackson rehearsing “Thriller” by singing in his house before it was released.
In 2017, Bridges sat down with Dr.Oz to recount details of being molested at the hands of a publicist and family friend when he was 11.
Due to his then-unhealed trauma, Bridges decided to end things with Jackson in an attempt to protect her.
Both Jackson and Bridges have since moved on to different relationships, but it doesn’t seem like there’s any bad blood between the two.
Bridges is currently married to designer Bettijo B. Hirschi.