Angela Bassett's Family: Meet Her 2 Children with Husband Courtney B Vance
Angela Bassett and Courtney B Vance, married since 1997, are proud parents to fraternal twins Bronwyn and Slater, born in 2006 Learn more about their loving family
Slater Josiah Vance, Angela Bassett, Bronwyn Golden Vance, Courtney B. Vance. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Throughout her illustrious Hollywood career, Angela Bassett’s family has been her main source of support.
Bassett initially crossed paths with her husband, Courtney B. Vance, while they were both studying at Yale’s School of Drama in the 1980s. However, it wasn't until 1994 that they sparked a romantic connection. Three years later, they exchanged vows and welcomed twins, daughter Bronwyn and son Slater, in January 2006.
Throughout the years, Bassett has been accompanied by her husband and children at numerous red carpet events, including the 2024 Governors Awards. Upon receiving her honorary Oscar at the January 2024 ceremony, the actress expressed her gratitude to her friends and family, stating "It is because of the love and support of my friends and my family that I stand here this evening." She also extended her appreciation to her sister, D’nette, husband, Courtney, and their children, Bronwyn and Slater, remarking "I offer a lifetime and beyond of gratitude to my sister, D’nette, my husband, Courtney, and our beautiful children, Bronwyn and Slater, whom I’m blessed to have with me this evening."
In addition, she acknowledged her family's role in allowing her the freedom to balance her roles as a sister, mother, wife, and actor. She concluded by expressing her deep love and appreciation for them, stating "They have each in their own way made space in our lives to allow me the freedom to be a sister, a mother, a wife, and an actor. I love you wholly and deeply."
Scroll down to get to know Bassett’s family:
Courtney B. Vance
In addition to being life partners, Bassett and Vance have also worked together on multiple occasions during their professional careers. They have appeared in collaborative projects such as 1995’s Panther and 2008’s Nothing But the Truth, and also coauthored a 2007 book about their romance titled Friends: A Love Story.
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In April 2019, Vance shared with We the secret to their enduring relationship, emphasizing the importance of being there for each other. He stated, "It’s, ‘Yes, dear. How can I help? What do you need me to do?’ Our focus is on our children and what we need to do as a family. Careers and things follow that."
Their 25th wedding anniversary in October 2022 was marked with a lavish celebration attended by loved ones. Basset captioned an Instagram video montage of the event, reflecting on their journey from eagerly reaching 10 years of marriage to now celebrating a quarter of a century. Showing gratitude, Basset wrote, "But through it all there’s been one, beautiful constant: We’ve always had each other! Thank you God for each and every one of these 25 years! We can’t wait to do 25 more! 10/12/1997️."
Bronwyn Golden Vance
Bassett and Vance's twins were born via surrogate in 2006 and were already learning to make their beds by the time they reached 18 months old. "You have to invest time in them during their early years," Bassett revealed exclusively to Us in November 2019, discussing her then-teenage children. "By the time they're 13, you won't have any problems. At 18 months, have them making their beds and tidying up. The covers are only so big, those little blankies."
Two years later, Angela Bassett disclosed that her daughter, Bronwyn, had started seeing someone, much to Vance's discomfort. “My daughter asked if she could have a boyfriend, so she’s starting to date, but it’s still sweet,” she exclusively told Us in May 2021. “Sometimes I’ll have the nerve to ask, ‘Have you kissed?’ And she says, ‘No.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, OK, well that wasn’t my journey.’”
Courtesy of Angela Bassett/Instagram
Bassett emphasized that Vance has a strong emphasis on respecting her daughter's dating life. She added that he finds it a bit awkward. In March 2023, Bronwyn looked mature and sophisticated in a purple gown, matching her mother's elegance on the Oscars red carpet. Vance and Slater looked equally sharp in classic black tuxedos.
Slater Josiah Vance
While Bronwyn started to express interest in dating at the age of 15, Bassett informed Us that her son, Slater, had no interest in pursuing a relationship. "At 3, he was interested. 'Mom, I like that girl.' But at 15, he just wants to work on his music," she revealed in May 2021. "He enjoys writing lyrics and raps. He's fully dedicated to that. And that's perfectly okay."
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In addition to his love for music, Slater appears to have inherited his parents’ interest in acting. In December 2022, he mentioned that Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan was a role model for him. This comment was made in a now-deleted social media video where he apologized for taking part in a TikTok trend that involved filming parents' reactions to news of a living celebrity's death. In the video, he pranked Bassett by telling her that the Creed actor had passed away at the age of 35.
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"I want to sincerely apologize to Michael B. Jordan, his family, and him personally as I have always looked up to him. It was wrong of me to participate in such a disrespectful trend. I hope that neither his family nor mine face any negative consequences from this." Slater expressed in his apology video.
