Essence Atkins Says Showing Up for Tia Mowry amid Her Divorce from Cory Hardrict Is 'an Honor' (Exclusive)

Mowry and Hardrict settled their divorce in April 2023 after 14 years of marriage

Essence Atkins knows Tia Mowry will be okay after her divorce from Cory Hardrict.

Ahead of her upcoming BET+ holiday film, Queens of Christmas, the Poppa’s House star, 52, spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about her friendship with her fellow actress, 46.

“It's a challenge. It's a grieving. It's a process,” Atkins tells PEOPLE of Mowry and Hardrict, 45, recently divorcing after 14 years of marriage.

Having played the older sister to Mowry’s real-life brother Tahj Mowry on the sitcom Smart Guy in the late ‘90s, Atkins has long been familiar with the Mowry family.

She also appears on Mowry’s latest reality series Tia Mowry: My Next Act, where the former couple’s split has been openly discussed.

Related: Tia Mowry Says She Hopes to 'Find My Prince Harry' as She Embarks on First Blind Date Post-Divorce (Exclusive)

“She's very fortunate. So many people love her and value her,” Atkins tells PEOPLE. “I just am one of the tentacles in her life that gets to speak into her and remind her that she was with Corey for a very long time.”

“They have a family together. They have built a whole legacy together and dismantling that, even if it was the right thing to do, it's still a difficult thing to live through and to walk out,” she continues.

Mowry and Hardrict began dating in 2000 and tied the knot in 2008. They welcomed two children, daughter Cairo, 6, and son Cree, 13, before announcing their divorce in October 2022.

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Atkins takes pride in being there for Mowry as she learns to navigate her new normal.

“Being able to show up in compassion and in empathy, because I've been there and I've done it, is really an honor. I wouldn't recommend divorce to anyone. It's not an easy road,” she says.

The How High actress shares one son, Varro, with ex-husband Jaime Mendez. She and the former football player, 53, were married from 2009 to 2016.

“Even if it's what's necessary, if there's a way to make it work, I would caution and encourage everyone to work it out if that's possible, especially when you have kids,” Atkins adds. “But when you do decide that we can't do this anymore, you just have to show up and be there for people and help them to live through it in grace.”

She says “patience and consideration” also goes a long way.

Related: Tia Mowry Recalls Losing Her Virginity to Ex-Husband Cory Hardrict at 25: He 'Was My First Everything'

“It is really, it's a big, big grief. It's a big grief, especially when you've been with someone for as long as her and Corey have been together. So I'm honored that she trusts me just to be a safe space,” she tells PEOPLE.

Queens of Christmas, directed by Kenny Young, stars Atkins, along with Terri J. Vaughn and Vanessa Bell Calloway. The holiday film arrives on BET+ on Dec. 19.

Additionally, Tia Mowry: My Next Act airs Fridays at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on We TV, with new episodes available on AMC’s streaming service ALLBLK.