Now that more people have had time to watch Netflix’s first holiday release of the season, Meet Me Next Christmas, the buzz surrounding Christina Milian continues to grow. The actress’ breakout role came decades ago when she starred opposite Nick Cannon in Love Don’t Cost a Thing, and she’s continued to keep us smiling in several romantic comedies since. The Jersey City-born starlet always had dreams of being in the spotlight, but if it weren’t for the support of her parents, Don Flores and Carmen Milian, she might not have made her dreams come true.
Their marriage came to an end in 1994, not long after Carmen moved their three daughters to Los Angeles, but still, they remain connected and supportive of each other, even coming together to star in the short-lived 2015 reality series, Christina Milian Turned Up. Besides bringing fans closer to the actress-turned-singer, the show also gave a look into the family’s Afro-Latino household, from heated sister feuds to Don playfully grilling his daughter’s romantic partners. Keep reading to learn more about Christina Milian’s parents and how they influenced her career in entertainment!
What Is Christina Milian’s Ethnic Background?
The 43-year-old has never shied away from embracing her racial identity, as she explained to HuffPost Live back in 2015. “Since early, it’d be like, I’m Cuban but [people] didn’t get it because I was also brown-skinned, and you usually see a fair-skinned Latino, so it was just like, ‘Oh, what are you? Are you Black? Are you White?” Milian explained. “I didn’t feel like I had to make a choice. I am what I am.”
A few years later, the mother of three used her social media platform to educate followers about supporting other Afro-Cubans. “Right now The citizens of Cuba are in a crisis and need our support. The government is starving, beating and holding hostage those who seek freedom from living under communist rule. Sometime we forget how fortunate we are in our country to have freedom and liberty. I ask you to educate yourself on this and use your voice to get the message out,” she urged in July 2021. Though she’s happily living in France with her partner, Matt Pokora now, Cuba will always have a special spot in Christina Milian’s heart.
Matriarch Carmen Manages All Three of Her Daughters
In the aforementioned HuffPost conversation, Milian pointed out the difference in skin color between family members on her maternal side. “You should see my mom and her brothers and sisters,” she said of her Cuban ancestors. “Same parents, but we just vary in color, shapes and sizes. But we’re still Latinos – that doesn’t change a damn thing. You can tell it’s in the core of our blood.”
Carmen Milian was born on Oct. 3, 1963 and is the mother of three girls – Christina, Danielle and Liz. She and Don Flores started their family young, working tirelessly to provide for them. When she realized her eldest had star power and talent, the matriarch headed off to Los Angeles, leaving her husband behind before their divorce. In 2024 she continues to manage Christina’s career; the pair co-own Viva Diva Wines and Shelby Star (an animation project). Additionally, Carmen oversees Danielle and Liz, who work as a celebrity hairstylist and chef, respectively.
Don Flores Is a Protective Papa Bear
Even though he stayed behind when his girls first hit the West Coast, Flores remains a supportive figure in their lives who always keeps his loved ones laughing. His firstborn shared a sweet selfie on Facebook in 2016, captioning it, ““My Dad!!! I think I pretty much took half and half of my parents looks.” Christina Milian’s fans best know Flores from her reality series – particularly in season two when he grilled Lizzy’s boyfriend with some intense questions. “I have to worry about my little baby,” he joked in the episode, proving how seriously he takes his role as a father.
Though Their Marriage Didn’t Last, Christina Milian Credits Her Parents for Inspiring Her Work Ethic
While the Flores family unit disintegrated by the time Milian was a teen, she still values the lessons Carmen and Don have taught her. “I saw my parents work hard. They were 17-18 years old when they had me; my dad had three jobs at a time, my mom same thing,” she told Revolt in a September 2024 interview.
“Raising three girls, taking us to so many… I can’t even imagine doing the things that she did in my time, but I watched my parents be such hard workers and multi-taskers,” Milian continued, “and also be the coolest parents too. There was something about them that was just like, we still had fun. We would be broke and I never felt it, you know what I mean? ‘Cuz they hustled so hard and they made life just fun. Watching them do that, it’s just kind of ingrained in me.” The multi-talent recalled the “powerful conversations” her parents had with her as a young girl, teaching her early on that “nothing is impossible.”