Rihanna Sits Down with ABC’s Diane Sawyer for 20/20 Interview (Full)
In an exclusive one-on-one with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, pop singer Rihanna was very open about her and Chris Brown’s big February 2009 assault incident. Among other things she talked about why she went back to him originally, what she thought about his public apology and talked about what really happened in the car that night. She said as he was biting and punching her, he “had no soul in his eyes.”
“There was no person when I looked at him,” the 21-year-old singer recalled during the interview. “He had no soul in his eyes. Just blank.”
But does she want to give him a second chance? It would have to be in the future of course because for the next 5 years it would be illegal for her to even speak to him.
“I don’t have a desire at all to be with him. I can’t see how we could get back together but I’m also not God and I can not predict the future. It’s actually rather annoying that there is still some sort of emotion there. … I am strong. This happened to me. I didn’t cause this. I didn’t do it. This happened to me and it can happen to anyone. I’m glad it happened to me because now I can help young girls when they go through it. I will say that to any young girl that’s going through domestic violence. Don’t react off of love. Eff love. Come out of the situation and look at it third person for what it really is and then make your decision because love is so blind. It’s so blind.”
Continue reading for a video of the full interview!







Danielle Williams
November 7, 2009 at 3:58 PM
I watched the interview and i though she was honest. it made me like her as a person not just an artist.
WENDY SAM
November 7, 2009 at 7:58 PM
this interview made me respect her soo much more i can feel are pain ,am very PROUD of her
Mickey
November 8, 2009 at 5:24 PM
In my opinion, growing up in an abusive household has nothing to do with not controlling your anger. Chris Brown chose to hit her repeatedly; he simply could not control his anger. Fame got to Chris, as Rihanna had said, “There was no right or wrong [that was out of the equation to him],” he just did it unconsciously. I understood everything that she was saying because I can honestly agree with her firsthand because (being male) I grow up in a devastatingly abusive home and not once have I thought of or would ever hit the person that I love. Clearly, she loved him and “had no interest in hitting him back” because love is no where near that; though, one thing love is, is blind. Rihanna is a very smart girl and knows exactly what she is talking about and I am so proud of her (You saw the way she cut Diane Sawyer off? She said, “I am strong”) because her vulnerability is truly her strength and I commend her for that.
Mickey
November 8, 2009 at 5:45 PM
And I don’t get people saying, “I don’t think she’s telling the whole story” and “Well it’s her side, his side and the truth”. Did you not see the pictures, police reports, videos and all of the documentation? The irrefutable evidence is the truth I would know at least. I feel after hearing the whole spiel from both Rihanna makes the most sense. Not that I’m taking sides but Chris was in the wrong and I would definitely have to agree with Rihanna from supporter standpoint, I don’t hate him either and I wish him the best. I think if anything he’s definitely sorry but for whom?
Michele
November 8, 2009 at 7:24 PM
I like Rihanna but I feel like she threw Chris Brown completely under the bus. The way she answered certain questions made her seem like Chris just started beating on her for no reason because of a “text message” when we all know it was more to it than just a simple “text message.”
It just seems like some things went down in the past that Rihanna doesn’t want people to know about mainly because she may have provoked him or something like that. I’m not sure and I can’t necessarily speak on it because I wasn’t there. Hell, no one can really speak on it besides those two because they were the only ones there.
But some things aren’t adding up. Yes Chris did what he did and I’m not condoning it what-so-ever. He was WRONG WRONG WRONG but there are a lot of holes missing in this story. I’m not on team Chris and I’m on not team Rihanna … but she really threw Chris under the bus with this interview.
Bee Brown
November 8, 2009 at 11:42 PM
rihanna thinks she is smart she had all them times to talk and she just showed up so people can feel for her ass and so people can buy her ablum she wants her ablum to sell. open your eyes people how dumb are u guys are as well.KMT chris i love u and cant wait to see u whe u come over here live in london. BIG UP CHRIS BROWN AND PLZ HATERS LEAVE HIM ALONG IN LIFE U HAVE TO MOVE ON AND FORGET ABOUT THE PAST ALRIGHT. AND RIHANNA GET A LIFE U SILLY CHILD GROW UP AND STOP MAKING SONGS ABOUT CHRIS MOVE ON. IM SO PROUD OF CHRIS HAS FOR A YOUNG BLACK MAN I WISH HIM ALL THE BEST!!!! HIS A GOOD PERSON AND PEOPLE LOOK AT RIHANNA SIDE AS WELL NOT JUST CHRIS. IT TAKES TWO NOT ONE SO THINK BEFORE U OPEN YA MOUTH HATERS
Bee Brown
November 8, 2009 at 11:49 PM
and plus NO i dnt feel sorry for rihanna at all . i really feel sorry for chris coz rihanna is tryna to mess up his career and his life she needs help and she really needs to grow up and needs god in her life too. LOVIN CB NEW SONG AND THE VIDEO GODSS U CB UR A GREAT SINGER AND DANCER B
LittlePeeandPooforXmas
November 11, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Yeah she threw him under, but he deserved to be there… ?