Samuel L. Jackson And LaTanya Richardson: From College To Hollywood

Samuel L. Jackson and his wife LaTanya Richardson Jackson are opening up about their iconic relationship!

The lovebirds are not only one of the longest-married couples in the entertainment industry, but they are also college sweethearts.

In an exclusive interview for this week's PEOPLE magazine, the Jacksons got candid about their marriage and the pact that kept them together.

For years, Samuel has been a widely recognized household name because of his numerous achievements in the entertainment industry and distinctive physical features.

The TV personality, currently known for his portrayal of Nick Fury in the Marvel movies, has been married to the actress LaTanya since 1980, and the pair share one daughter, Zoe.

The action star and his wife began their 41-year-old romance in college and survived the years by staying true to their pact to remain united no matter what life threw at them.

Regarding their unbroken vow, the Tony-nominated actress explained that the pair decided to change the stereotypical narrative of African American families by proving that absent fathers and doting mothers didn't solely raise black children.

The 72-year-old entertainer said, "In the beginning, we always said the most revolutionary thing that Black people could do was stay together, raise their children with the nucleus of having a father and a mother."

The Theater alum continued, "In order to change that narrative, we made a decision to say, 'We are going to stay together no matter what. We'll figure it out.'"

True to their words, the couple kept their love burning for 41 years and even survived Samuel's addiction phase that lasted until the '90s.

According to the Marvel star, his loving wife saved him from going down the wrong path by getting the box office star into rehab, which helped him become the icon the world knows today.

Following his rehabilitation, the 73-year-old entertainer made a spectacular comeback in 1991 with his appearance in "Jungle Fever."

After starring in Spike Lee's hit film, the BAFTA Award winner went on to achieve enormous success with his roles in critically-acclaimed franchises such as "Star Wars," "The Avengers," and "The Incredibles."

These movies made Samuel the highest-grossing actor in history as the franchises have collectively garnered "nearly $18.5 billion worldwide."

Calling the "Pulp Fiction" star the King of Hollywood wouldn't be an understatement; however, the father-of-one wasn't the type to boast about his achievements. The four-time NAACP Image Award winner said:

"Coming from the kind of backgrounds we come from and the people that raised us, we learn that we're not better than anybody else. A job is a job. We were fortunate enough to have a job."

As for their family life, the "Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" actor and his wife revealed that they stopped working every July to spend quality time with their daughter and friends.

Taking time off work wasn't the only secret to their blissful marriage, as Samuel added that a relationship could only last with "two people who respect, love, and look out for each other."

Last November, The Blast reported that LaTanya once threatened to leave her husband, who was stuck in a dangerous cycle of drug abuse. 

The "Django Unchained" star previously got candid about his drug history, which began when the future actor was introduced to acid by a professor in the '60s.

Following his first taste of this unhealthy lifestyle, the Golden Globe Award nominee moved on to more potent substances like heroin before becoming obsessed with crack and cocaine.

At the time, no one suspected the severity of Samuel's addiction as the entertainer managed to carry out his acting duties without issues.

However, everything changed when the "Shaft" star's wife and their daughter found him unconscious in the kitchen after trying to cook cocaine.

This scary encounter was the push the Hollywood veteran needed to change his life as LaTanya threatened to divorce the actor unless he went to rehab.

After four weeks in rehabilitation, the Honorary Academy Award winner achieved sobriety and swore to stay off drugs once he realized that the addiction nearly destroyed his life.