Christina Milian has officially bid adieu to America and swapped the glitz and glam of Hollywood for croissants and berets. Yes, the pop star-turned-actress packed up her bags, her kids, and her ‘Je ne sais quoi’ and headed to Paris. Why? Because nothing says “new chapter” like a move that involves learning how to say “Do you have non-sparkling water?” in French.
Appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Christina, 43, shared the scoop on her international leap during a promo for her Netflix holiday movie Meet Me Next Christmas (no pressure on remembering that title). She spilled that she and her husband, French singer Matt Pokora, had been living the transatlantic life for three or four years—like the world’s busiest, most jet-lagged couple’s retreat. “We were commuting back and forth every six months,” she said, which I assume means their air miles could pay for a private jet piloted by Santa Claus himself.
But last year, they took a deep breath of Parisian air (which probably smelled like baguettes and existential angst) and said, “Oui, we’re staying!” Why? Because their kids were due to start school, and what’s better than raising your kids in a country where toddlers are served five-course meals and can side-eye you in two languages?
Christina and Matt, who tied the knot in 2020, now call France home with their two little humans, Isaiah, 4, and Kenna, 3, plus Christina’s 14-year-old daughter Violet from her marriage with The-Dream (aka, she’s got a full house that even Parisian nannies whisper about).
“What’s better than an opportunity like that?” Christina gushed, clearly already thinking about the cultural bragging rights at future PTA meetings.
Now, you’d think someone as worldly as Christina would be fluent in French by now, right? Wrong. “I’d be at restaurants and everyone’s speaking French,” she admitted. And while you might assume she’d whip out a French-to-English dictionary or a translation app, our girl had priorities. “I love to eat, so I would just let everybody talk, and I’m just gonna eat away.” That’s right—when in doubt, chew it out.
But then came a game-changing moment: one fancy dinner where Matt and a restaurant host talked French for what felt like 56 years (okay, two hours). Christina sat there, nodding like she understood, but in reality, she might as well have been listening to a podcast about quantum physics. “It was a lesson learned ‘cause I was in France,” she said, likely sipping on the finest French water. That was her “Eureka!” moment. “You know what? This is actually a problem for me,” she realized, like a true main character in her own rom-com, “It’s time to stop making excuses and challenge myself to learn another language.”
So, how are her French lessons going? “I’m Franglish now,” she joked, which is the linguistic equivalent of being the life of the party and the confused tourist all at once.
And as for life in Paris? Christina’s living her best life. “I love it there. It’s gorgeous,” she said, probably as she imagined herself twirling in front of the Eiffel Tower like every movie cliché ever. Here’s hoping she’s mastered ordering that non-sparkling water.
