Who Is Angela Bassett's Husband? Learn About Courtney B. Vance

True love is hard to find in Hollywood, but Angela Bassett hit the jackpot when she met Courtney B. Vance. The Oscar-nominated actress and her longtime spouse have been going strong for years, and it seems like nothing is going to get in the way of their everlasting love.

The couple’s journey first started at the Yale School of Drama in the 1980s, according to Essence. It wasn’t love at first sight by any means, however, and Courtney was actually in a relationship with a different woman at the time. Fortunately, their friendship eventually blossomed into a romance when they reconnected more than a decade later.

“He had a beautiful, beautiful girlfriend at the time, who was also in drama school with us,” Angela recalled to People in 2018. “So maybe about 14 years later, our paths crossed here in Los Angeles … I was single, he was single … and I had such an appreciation for him over those years.”

Because the 9-1-1 star was enthralled by Courtney’s best qualities, including “his consistency,” “how he treated other people” and “how passionate he is,” Angela knew she had to make a move. The pair ended up going on a date in 1994, and from that moment, the rest is history.

The Golden Globe winner and Lovecraft Country actor dated for three years before tying the knot in 1997. Over the next decade, Angela and Courtney struggled to conceive children, and after multiple rounds of failed IVF, the two were inspired to try surrogacy. “The more we learned about it, the more we began to think that perhaps this was an answer for us,” she told People.

In January 2006, the lovebirds’ wish came true when they welcomed their twins, Bronwyn and Slater. Since then, the What’s Love Got to Do With It star has been prioritizing her role as a mom, all while maintaining her unbreakable bond with her handsome hubby.

While once exclusively chatting with Closer Weekly, Angela dished the secret to her decades-long marriage. Even though the doting mom and the Preacher’s Wife actor can get overwhelmed at times, their relationship centers on “respect and negotiation.”

“I want what I want, he wants what he wants, and sometimes, they’re not the same,” Angela shared, “but we’ve learned how to negotiate to make each other happy and fulfill our dreams and desires.”

Keep scrolling to learn more about the star’s husband, Courtney!

Courtney is an Actor

Like his wife, Courtney is also very successful in showbiz. Per IMDb, he’s starred in countless hit films and TV shows, including Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Lovecraft Country, The Mummy and Dangerous Minds. He also took home a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie for his role in The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story.

His First Date With Angela Didn’t Go Too Well

Though Angela had a ton of interest in Courtney when they went on their first date, she dished it didn’t actually end up going that well.

“Dare I say it wasn’t memorable,” the Waiting to Exhale actress joked during a TV appearance in 2007. “He just seemed like a really, really nice guy. Which translated to kind of boring. That was it. [I] wasn’t gonna give him a second thought.”

The relationship finally evolved when they went on a second date. “We had a great time,” Courtney dished. “I said ‘I like her.’ Something was happening.”

He’s a Doting Dad

Courtney has embraced his role as a dad ever since they welcomed their kids, Bronwyn and Slater, in 2006. Even though both he and Angela are A-list Hollywood stars, Courtney doesn’t want his children to view him as a big celeb.

“With famous parents, I think it is a burden, but we spend as much time as we can with them so they know that our job is to be kind and to help,” he told Closer in 2019.

Courtney is an Amazing Husband

Looking back, Angela is so grateful she gave love a shot with Courtney. While chatting with Closer in 2015, the SAG Award winner revealed her favorite quality about her hubby.

“He lets me be me and do me,” she marveled. “He is a great support person for anyone.”

The American Horror Story alum later shared the secret to their lasting marriage during an October 2020 interview with People in celebration of their 23rd wedding anniversary.

“Staying together so long, whether in the industry or not, I think the important thing is that you got to marry the right person,” she said. “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.”