Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance's Relationship Timeline

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Angela Bassettand Courtney B. Vance’s decades-long romance is one of the sweetest in Hollywood.

The two actors met as graduate students at the Yale School of Drama in the 1980s. However, it was not love at first sight as Vance had a girlfriend at the time. Years later, theWhat’s Love Got to Do with Itactress and the Tony-winning actor would meet again when they were both single.

“I didn’t run into Courtney again until 1994,” Bassett toldOprah Winfreyduring a2007 interview. “I was out with some friends and he was too. It was like, ‘Hey! Great to see you.’ "

The pair went on a couple of dates, but according to Bassett, their first kiss is what truly sealed the deal.

“I got pinpricks and chills up the back of my thighs and across my butt, up my neck and across my scalp,” she wrote in her and Vance’s bookFriends: A Love Story.

After a few years of dating, Bassett and Vance married in 1997. Theywelcomed fraternal twins, Bronwyn Golden and Slater Josiah, in 2006.

Here’s everything to know about Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance’s relationship.

Early 1980s: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance meet at the Yale School of Drama

Bassett and Vancefirst crossed pathsas students at Yale University in the 1980s. Bassett received herbachelor’s degreein African American studies from the Ivy League school in 1980 and later received a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in 1983. Vance received his bachelor’s degree in history at Harvard University and graduated with his MFA from Yale in 1986. But the sparks did not fly in drama school.

“He had a beautiful, beautifulgirlfriend at the time, who was also in drama school with us,” Bassett later told PEOPLE. As she recalled onTheOprah WinfreyShow, she thought he was “tall, lithe, dark, skinny and just alluring.”

Vance, on the other hand, said he didn’t “remember her at all.”

1994: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance reconnect and begin dating

Years later, the pair wound up in each other’s orbit.

“So maybe about 14 years later,our paths crossedhere in Los Angeles. And I was single; he was single,” theBlack Pantherstar told PEOPLE. “And I had such an appreciation for him over those years — of his consistency, how he treated other people, of what a supporter he is, what a connector of people and ideas he is, how passionate he is.”

However, during a 2007 appearance onTheOprah WinfreyShow, Bassett revealed that she and Vance almost didn’t make it past their first date.

“Dare I say it wasn’t memorable,” Basset laughed. “He just seemed like a really, really nice guy, which translated to kind of boring. That was it. Wasn’t gonna give him a second thought.”

Despite Bassett’s unfavorable first impression of Vance, the couple went on a second date and it proved to be a turning point for the couple. “We had a great time,” Vance recalled. “It was a great date. And I said, ‘I like her.’ Something was happening.”

October 12, 1997: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance get married

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Bassett and Vance tied the knot on Oct. 12, 1997, just before Bassett was set to begin work onHow Stella Got Her Groove Back. Amid the chaos, Vance proved to be a supportive partner.

“It was like, ‘I’m trying to do this, and I’m also trying to be Stella. Okay, it’s a lot going on here, and I need you to step in and help me out with this,’ " Bassett recalled to PEOPLE. “He was like, ‘What?’ That’s all you have to do, is tell him to step in, and he shows up for you. Not just for me, but for any of his friends, whoever he loves, or whatever mentee may reach out to him.He steps up and steps in for you.”

December 5, 2005: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance are expecting twins

Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan

In December 2005, a source revealed to PEOPLE that Bassett and Vance would soon be parents. “They areexpecting twinsvia a surrogate,” the source said. “The babies are due in a couple months.”

They later discussed theirsurrogacy experience onOprah, including undergoing seven years of unsuccessful fertility treatments.

“I was devastated when it didn’t happen [again and again],” shared Bassett. “I had to remain hopeful and resilient and, ‘Okay, let’s do it again.’ "

Things turned around for the couple when they discovered a friend was expecting via a surrogate.

“She began to tell me about the idea of surrogacy,” added Bassett. “The more we learned about it, the more we began to think that perhaps this was an answer for us.”

January 27, 2006: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance welcome twins

Bassett and Vance welcomed fraternal twins via surrogate on Jan. 27, 2006. Bronwyn Golden and Slater Josiah were born via cesarean section and arrived about five weeks early. Their daughter weighed in at 6 lbs, 2 oz, and their son weighed 5 lbs, 2 oz.

For Vance, having twins was the actualization of anearlier premonition.

“I had a dream about seven years ago that we were going to have twins,” he said in 2007. “I didn’t know how it was going to happen.”

Bassett was in awe of the experience.

“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],” she said.

February 2007: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance write a book together

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Bassett and Vance decided to share their love story forValentine’s Day. In February 2007, the couple publishedFriends: A Love Story, a joint memoir of their relationship.

March 20, 2008: Angela Bassett celebrates Hollywood Walk of Fame honor with Courtney B. Vance and their twins

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Bassett’s illustrious careerearned her a staron the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008. Vance and twins Bronwyn and Slater joined theGolden Globe-winnerto celebrate the honor.

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During her run onER, Bassett reflected on her hectic schedule and work-life balance.

“On Monday, I have to be there at 6:00 a.m., which means I have to get up at five, but they’re not up at 5:00 a.m.,” she said at the time. “They’re not up until 7:00 a.m. I have to do a 12- to a 16-hour day and when I get home at 8:00 p.m., they’re asleep because they go to bed at 7:30. Then, on Fridays we might work until 3:00 in the morning so that’s the hard part. I’m in the house with them — the husband and the children — and I haven’t seen you all day, or I haven’t seen you for two days.”

February 29, 2016: Angela Bassett says she delayed telling Courtney B. Vance about her sex scene with Lady Gaga

InAmerican Horror Story: Hotel, Bassett starred as Ramona Royale, an actress and former lover ofLady Gaga’s character Countess Elizabeth. When the characters were written into a steamy sex scene, Bassettrefrained from telling Vanceand instead “eased him into” viewing the episode later on.

“I just, you know, waited until the night [the episode aired] and said, ‘Come on, I want you to see something!’ " she said in an interview withConan O’Brien. “And so I’m showing it, and I have the remote and he’s like, ‘Woah, woah, woah, what’s about to happen?!’ I was like, ‘Well pause! What’s going on with you, are you going to be all right?’ "

September 18, 2016: Courtney B. Vance praises Angela Bassett in his Emmy speech

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At the 68th annualEmmy Awardsin 2016, Vance took home the Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a limited series or movie for his role asJohnnie CochraninThe People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. After thanking those who contributed to his success, including his kids, Vance gave his wife a shout-out.

“And last but not least, to the woman that rocks my chain!” he said. “Angela Evelyn Bassett, this one is for you, girl!”

The newly-minted Emmy winner told PEOPLE that night, “We will go to theGovernors Ball. I will give this [award statue] to my wife and she will be telling me where in the house it will go.”

January 29, 2018: Courtney B. Vance and their twins join Angela Bassett at theBlack Pantherpremiere

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May 18, 2019: Courtney B. Vance celebrates Angela Bassett’s honorary doctorate

In addition to her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale, Bassett has receivedthree honorary doctorates. The second came fromMorehouse College, a historically Black college in Atlanta, in 2019. Vance gave his wife a sweetshout-out for the accomplishmenton Instagram.

Bassett also receivedhonorary doctoratesfrom Yale in 2018 and Old Dominion University in 2022.

September 22, 2019: Courtney B. Vance hypes up Angela Bassett before the Emmys

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Bassett paired a bright red jumpsuit with a swirl-patterned purse as she and Vance attended the 71st PrimetimeEmmy Awardsin September 2019, whereshe was nominatedfor outstanding narration for National Geographic’s documentary specialThe Flood. Vance shared his appreciation for his wife’s fiery lookon Instagram.

October 30, 2020: Angela Bassett shares the secret to her successful marriage to Courtney B. Vance

More than two decades into her marriage to Vance, Bassettshared the secretto their successful partnership.

“Staying together so long, whether in the industry or not, I think the important thing is that you gotta marry the right person,” she told PEOPLE ahead of the Motion Picture & Television Fund virtual gala. “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.

She continued, “Because we all have strengths, strengths and weaknesses, and we want to support one another. But I think also recognizing that we are each individuals, we have our individual dreams and desires and hopes and ways of doing things.”

April 21, 2021: Angela Bassett talks about raising twins with Courtney B. Vance

During an appearance onThe Late Late Show with James Corden, Bassett explained her and Vance’s different roles when it comes todisciplining their kids.

“He is usually pretty calm but he is consistent,” the star said of Vance. “For instance, right now he’s 2,500 miles or so away in Chicago and he can still get them to hop to it.”

Bassett shared her softer approach. “Meanwhile, I’m 25 feet away and I either have to guilt trip them or pull things away or just leave the room,” she told Corden. “Just throw my hands up and go to my own corner and try to think of some other way to get them to do what they know they need to do.”

Bassett later described herself as a “good cop.” She joked, “I tell them, ‘I am your good time, so you don’t wanna mess with me.’ "

May 24, 2021: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance announce limited series about the Tulsa Race Massacre

He continued, “We are excited to work with [playwright] Nathan [Davis] because his vision directly aligns with the story that Angela and I want to tell. Although the series will revisit the Black pain and tragedy that took place on May 31 and June 1, 1921, it will also importantly introduce to many the stories of the extraordinary, entrepreneurial people who built Black Wall Street and all that this community accomplished.”

April 4, 2022: Courtney B. Vance recalls protecting Angela Bassett during a difficult fan encounter

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In an interview with Power 105.1 FM’sThe Breakfast Club, Vancerecounted a timewhen a fan behaved inappropriatelytoward Bassett as they were leaving the airport.

“[The fan] wanted an autograph. I said, ‘It’s not appropriate right now. Please give us our [privacy]. If you recognize us, then [others] will, and it’ll be on,’ " Vance said.

The fan then “cussed [Angela] out” and “tried to provoke her,” but Vance encouraged his wife to turn the other cheek.

Vance later joked, “What we don’t wanna see is Angela Bassett pimp-slapping … You ain’t getting that out of us. We’re not going down like that.”

October 26, 2022: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance attendBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverpremiere

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Bassett wore a vibrant, purple peplum dress, while Vance sported a tux as the couple posed for photos on the red carpet.

January 15, 2023: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance share the secret to their 25-year marriage

While chatting with PEOPLE at the Critics Choice Awards, Vance said that “talking, communicating and space” are thekeys to a long-lasting union. He then compared their marriage to a rock band like The Temptations or The Rolling Stones.

“Initially it was about, ‘they made it,’ and then ‘what about my individual glory?’ And ‘I don’t want to get so caught up in the band and talks about going our separate ways.’ And then going, ‘You know what? We’re better together and stronger together,’ " Vance said.

That night, Bassett took home the best supporting actress award for her role inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever. The actress told PEOPLE that her success is “all the more sweeter” because of Vance.

“It’s great to have someone there in your corner supporting you,” she said.

February 24, 2023: Angela Bassett praises Courtney B. Vance for understanding and supporting her

Ahead of the 2023 Oscars, whereBassett is up for Best Supporting Actressfor her role inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, the actressspoke to PEOPLE about her loving relationshipwith Vance.

“He understands just empirically everything that I go through,” Bassett said. “He can really give me perspective, because it gets very heady and very busy, but he just keeps me very grounded about the important things, that life is good and we’re all just doing our best to support each other.”

March 12, 2023: Courtney B. Vance supports Angela Bassett at the Oscars

A week earlier, Vance spoke to PEOPLE aboutBassett’s Academy Award nomination. “I can’t wait for the moment when they call the first syllable of the name because that’s all any of us ever listened for,” he said.

“It’s been 29 years, she’s overdue and I think everybody recognizes that,” he added. “So I’m excited.”

September 26, 2023: Courtney B. Vance and Angela Bassett attend opening night at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City

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November 15, 2023: Courtney B. Vance reveals how he proposed to Angela Bassett

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Vance proposed to Bassett on Dec. 9, 1996, at the New York City premiere of his filmThe Preacher’s Wife, in which he starred alongsideWhitney HoustonandDenzel Washington.

“That was a transitional moment in my life,” he told PEOPLE. “She, Whitney,The Preacher’s Wife, Penny Marshall — the whole [experience] was a turning point in my life.”

January 9, 2024: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance attend the Governor’s Awards with their children

March 2, 2024: Angela Bassett discusses how Courtney B. Vance got out of the friend zone

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While talking to PEOPLE, Bassett shared how Vance managed to get out of the friend zone after so many years of knowing one another.

“What I loved so much about him was how supportive he [was] of everyone,” she said. “That’s something that really sort of opened my eyes, andI went from friend to being enamoredwith him in a different kind of way.”

Bassett continued: “From the beginning, he was always just a very supportive partner and he continues to be to this day. He’s always been thoughtful about me. His core burns pure.”

October 22, 2024: Courtney B. Vance opens up about becoming empty nesters with Angela Bassett

source: people.com