Angela Bassett Has Been Married Since 1997 — Who Is Her Husband?

A lasting marriage is an unusual thing in Hollywood, and yet, some couples manage to do it.

Take Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks for instance, or David and Victoria Beckham. How about Denzel and Pauletta Washington, or Beyoncé and Jay-Z?

And then, there's Angela Bassett and her husband, Courtney B. Vance.

The How Stella Got Her Groove Back star has been married to the Dangerous Minds alum since 1997.

Let's take a closer look at their relationship ahead, from being just friends, to writing a book about their love story!

Angela and Courtney said "I do" all the way back in 1997 — but they have actually known each other for much longer than that.

According to People, the stars first met as friends at Yale Drama School in the '80s.

It would be more than a decade before their paths crossed again, and this time it was a love connection.

They would become husband and wife after three years of dating, following a proposal at the screening of The Preacher's Wife.

The couple welcomed twins Bronwyn Golden and Slater Josiah via surrogate in 2006.

"Just standing there together, holding each other with the realization that this is the moment that we've been working toward, praying for…[it's a dream come true]," the new mom said at the time.

This couple is so aspirational, they even penned a book chronicling their love story, aptly called, Friends: A Love Story.

So what is their secret to such a lasting relationship, especially under the brutal microscope Hollywood celebrities are under?

In 2020, she told People, “Staying together so long, whether in the industry or not, I think the important thing is that you gotta marry the right person."

She also offered this advice: "Make sure you're both looking in the same direction, basically. You're not clones of each other, but you have similar or closest similar belief systems and, you know, pleasant personalities."

As for Courtney, he has adorably said about his wife, "everything is about her."

On the occasion of the couple's 25th anniversary, they celebrated with a big party. Taking to his Instagram, Courtney penned a sweet tribute to the Wakanda Forever star, saying in part, "Thank you God for each and everyone one of these 25 years! We can’t wait to do 25 more!"

This was far from the only time that the Space Cowboys star has openly gushed about his enduring admiration of Angela, writing in a 2019 post featuring the couple en route to the Emmys: "Blinded by my baby’s beauty!"

Needless to say, fans are enamored by Angela and Courtney's love, with one commenter to the 2019 post complimenting the pair, "Such a beautiful couple, inside and out."

We couldn't agree more and wish them many more years of married happiness!