Actor Kel Mitchell is famous for his work on Nickelodeon in the ’90s. The young comic was a staple on our screens and a true icon of the time. That was until he completely disappeared from the spotlight. In the years since he has reemerged and shocked many when revealing he has become a pastor. During a recent discussion with Tamron Hall, the married father of four opened up about his journey to marriage and how he chose celibacy for a while to help prep him and his wife for a lifetime together.
When the choice finally came to become an item, the couple set strict guidelines in place for themselves. This meant they did not share a kiss for almost six months. This also meant that they practiced celibacy before marriage. The pair bonded instead over their faith and a church they found while dating that became their home base.
During his interview with Tamron, she asked him to elaborate on his decision to practice celibacy and why. According to Kel, he had a long list of women he had been intimate and wanted to release his name and spirit from all the women he’s been with. Kel Mitchell explains that in order to be fully committed to your wife or partner, you have to release your attachment to other people. Intimacy is an easy way to develop an attachment to someone, and you need time to let your soul move on and detach. He says that intimacy can create spiritual connections, and when people break up, this is why it takes so long to move on. “You have to break away spiritually.” He felt that being celibate helped him tap into his spiritual self and really cleanse himself of his past relationships.
Kel Mitchell has been married to his wife Asia Lee since 2012. The couple was both child actors. They currently have two children together, Honor and Wisdom Mitchell. Kel has two children from a previous marriage as well who are both much older, Allure and Lyric. Kel and Asia started off as friends, and according to them, tried to preserve that for as long as they could, even though sparks were evident early on. He recalled going to support her at one of her shows early on in their friendship because he was a fan of her music. Afterward, they went to a fair, and a nervous Asia jumped into Kel’s arms before going on a Ferris Wheel. Kel says he knew in that moment he had feelings for her. She later would confess to him that the moment felt significant for her as well.
Kel Mitchell recalls being able to court his wife in a beautiful way without lust or sex. He attributes this to why they have been able to remain best friends in their marriage. They recently celebrated their 10th anniversary in January with a video montage on social media.
Kel, at one point, was consumed by the Hollywood lifestyle. The young star became massive at a young age with no guidance or roadmap on how to navigate fame. This meant he fell into substance abuse and partying while trying to figure out who he was and if people actually liked him or his character. He calls it all a journey and has to remind himself that he was special from the moment he was born and that his talent did not define him. This is why he broke away from the mainstream and took the time to recenter his life.
