Actor Brian Austin Green has opened up about a brief, clandestine romance he had with fellow star Tichina Arnold in the 1990s, claiming she insisted their relationship remain a complete secret.
The Secret That Triggered Insecurity
Speaking on the Funny Knowing You podcast on Wednesday 14 January 2026, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alumnus detailed how he first met Arnold when they worked together. They bonded over a mutual passion for hip-hop music, which eventually led to them 'fooling around' and starting a relationship.
However, Green, who was in his early twenties at the time, said Arnold was "very clear on day one [that] nobody can know about this." He described the profound impact this secrecy had on him, stating he felt he was living in a culture that did not accept him.
"I have someone who I’m attracted to who’s telling me, like, ‘You can’t tell anybody,’" Green recalled. "I think, for me, it really triggered something like, ‘Oh, OK. I’m not good enough for any of this. You don’t even want your friends to know that you’re hanging out with me.’"
A Relationship That Couldn't Last
Green explained that by the time Arnold changed her stance and considered going public, he had already made a "subconscious switch" and no longer viewed their connection as a genuine, committed relationship. The pairing ultimately did not last.
Interestingly, Arnold herself appeared on the same podcast a month prior, in December 2025, and revealed she was the one who ended things. She told Green she foresaw him eventually settling down with a white woman, stating: "I see you dating all these Black women. Now you’re dating me, and you’re not going to end up with a Black woman. You’re going to share your riches and your legacy with someone white. And so I’m getting off this train."
Friendship Endures Despite Past Romance
Despite the short-lived and complicated nature of their romantic involvement, Green emphasised that he and the Everybody Hates Chris star have remained firm friends. "That’s my girl. I will always have her back. She has always had my back," he said affectionately.
Since the 1990s, both actors have built extensive families. Green shares his eldest son, 21-year-old Kassius Lijah, with ex-girlfriend Vanessa Marcil. With ex-wife Megan Fox, he is father to sons Noah Shannon (13), Bodhi Ransom (11), and Journey River (9). He also has a two-year-old son, Zane, with his current fiancée, Sharna Burgess.
Tichina Arnold was married to boxer Lamon Brewster from 1991 to 1995 and later to DaRico Hines from 2012 to 2016. She has a 21-year-old daughter, Alijah Kai, with record producer Carvin Haggins.
