As of this week, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing civil lawsuits from three women who claim he is guilty of sexual misconduct. Waston has not been charged or arrested; in fact, he took to social media to deny the allegations. However, a lawyer representing the victims claims a total of nine women have come forward, and that additional suits are potentially forthcoming.
The breaking news has many people wondering about Deshaun Watson’s girlfriend, Jilly Anais, who has been standing by her man despite the controversy. Find out who she is and get the details on her relationship with the NFL star.
Deshaun Watson And Jilly Anais Have Been Dating Since 2019
Anais first crossed paths with Watson in 2019, while they were dining separately at West Hollywood hotspot Catch LA. She said she had a mouthful of sushi when she waved to him from across the dining room; four days later, Watson slid into her DMs and asked for her number.
A day later, he offered to meet her at her 7:30 AM hot yoga class. Despite showing up late (he had been pulled over en route), the two hit it off. Both described the connection as “natural and organic.”
“We started off as best friends,” Watson said in an April 2020 vlog. “It was just all natural… We’re just all about energy, and that’s the biggest thing.”
Unlike celebrity couples who keep their relationships under wraps, Watson and Anais are loud and proud of their affection for one another. They often praise each other on social media, with Anais often referring to her man by the nickname “LoveBug.” Check them out in this couples pic, posted days before lawsuits against Watson were filed:
Jilly Anais Has Millions of Instagram Followers On Social Media
Anais is a popular social media figure, boasting 500,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel and 2.7 million followers on Instagram.
In an interview with BET, she admits her popularity practically came overnight.
“I blew up super fast on Instagram,” she said. “Crazy fast, like unheard of fast. I did 2 million followers in six months… it was ridiculous.”
Prior to that, Anais was living on her parents dime (“I was still calling daddy to put money on my debit card,” she admitted.)
Through endorsements and paid sponsorships, she says she makes six figures on both platforms.
“I love waking up and being my own boss, having my own schedule,” she said. “I think the best part about it is having to get dressed for no reason, going absolutely nowhere, but yet take a picture like you’re going somewhere.”
For more on her rise to Insta-fame, check out the entire interview below:
Jilly Anais’ Career Goes Beyond Social Media
Anais wants to be more than an Instagram model and athlete’s girlfriend. The Houston native is also trying to make a name as a multi-hyphenate entertainer. In 2015, she made her music debut with an EP titled The Juice. That same year, she earned her SAG-AFTRA membership and made appearances in two notable productions: the now-defunct Fox series Rosewood (starring Morris Chestnut) and the music video for Demi Lovato‘s single “Cool for the Summer.”
She’s also a force in the kitchen. In November 2020, she released “This Boss Babe Can Cookbook.”
“So many people tasted my cooking and were like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’ve got to give out your secrets,’” she told the Houston Chronicle. “My parents are very social about meeting people and having people over. There was always so much good food. Everything is just so amazing. I have a lot of my grandmother’s recipes in the cookbook. She gave them to me and her legacy is my cookbook. I put the best ones into this cookbook. When my friends come over, it’s Chef Jilly.”
Perhaps her beauty queen past was good preparation for her life in Los Angeles. In 2011, when she went by her real name, Jillyan Moor, she was Miss Teen Houston. The title required the then-15-year-old to visit schools and share her secrets to success. According to the Houston Chronicle, she often shared an acronym for the word “perform”: Persistence Equals Reaching For Outstanding Results and Milestones.
She Once Dated An NBA Star That Didn’t End Well
Watson isn’t the first pro athlete that Anais has dated. In 2017, she began a relationship with San Antonio Spurs player Dejounte Murray. When the couple split a year later, things got ugly.
Murray publicly accused Anais of being a “gold digger.” His ex promptly hit back.
“A [expletive] will be quick to call you a gold digger.. but has never paid a single bill, doesn’t pay my rent, car note, phone bill the list goes on and on.. gold digger where? miss me with that [expletive]!” Anais wrote in a now-deleted tweet.
Ouch. No one knows what the future holds for Anais’ relationship with Watson, but if it doesn’t end well, we expect her social media commentary will sting.