Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson are celebrating 46 years of marriage and more than five decades of doing life together.
The “Pulp Fiction” star, 77, marked the couple’s wedding anniversary on Aug. 18 with a throwback photo from their 1980 wedding. In the sweet Instagram snap, Samuel and LaTanya, 76, smiled together beside their wedding cake.
“Happy 46th Anniversary to THE Mrs. LaTanya Richardson Jackson,” he captioned the post. “I Love You With All That I Am.”
“46 years of loving @samuelljackson,” she wrote. “We thank God every day for blessing us with each other. My foundation, My rock, My forever partner.”
She ended the message by wishing her husband a happy anniversary and adding, “Here’s to 46 more!!”
Friends including Julianne Moore and Holly Robinson Peete also joined the celebration in the comments, sending the couple well wishes on their milestone anniversary.
Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson Met in College
Samuel and LaTanya’s love story began long before either became established in Hollywood. The two met as college students in Atlanta, with LaTanya attending Spelman College and Samuel attending Morehouse College.
The pair began dating in 1970 and performed together as members of the Morehouse Spelman Players, according to People. After about a decade together, they married in 1980 and welcomed their only child, daughter Zoe, two years later.
Their engagement story was also a little unconventional. LaTanya previously explained that her grandfather was ill and wanted to see her married, so she told Samuel he needed to ask both her grandfather and her for permission to marry her.
Samuel remembers things a little differently. During a 2023 appearance on “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” the actor joked that he remembered coming home to already-printed wedding invitations and being told where he needed to be.
Their partnership eventually followed them into Hollywood. The two have appeared together in movies including “Losing Isaiah,” “Freedomland” and “Mother and Child.” In 2022, LaTanya also directed Samuel in the Broadway revival of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” becoming the first woman to direct one of Wilson’s plays on Broadway.
The Couple Made a Pact to Stay Together
After more than half a century as a couple, Samuel and LaTanya have also been open about what has kept their marriage going.
LaTanya told People in 2022 that they made a pact early on to stay together and raise their family together. She explained that they wanted to challenge stereotypes about Black families and decided they would work through difficulties rather than give up on their marriage.
That commitment was tested during Samuel’s past struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. LaTanya helped get her husband into rehab, and Samuel has now been in recovery for more than 30 years. He previously credited his wife with helping him become the person he wanted to be.
Their relationship has continued to include plenty of celebrations, too. Last year, the couple marked their 45th wedding anniversary during a trip to Cannes, France, where they shared a photo together from a boat and reflected on the blessings they have experienced throughout their marriage.
Now, another year later, LaTanya’s anniversary message summed up where the couple stands after 46 years of marriage: “My foundation, My rock, My forever partner.”
