Viola Davis Marks '20 Years Of Connection' With Husband In Sweet Anniversary Post
By Afouda Bamidele on June 23, 2023 at 7:30 PM EDT
Viola Davis appeared on social media on Wednesday, June 21, to mark her and her husband, Julius Tennon's wedding anniversary.
The Academy Award-winning actress — honored at the Chaplin Award Gala this past April — - and her longtime beau made their union official in June 2003. Sharing old and recent images with her 11 million followers, Davis gushed about the depth of their connection since they married two decades ago.
Viola Davis Showered Julius Tennon With Heartwarming Praise On Their Wedding Anniversary
In the entertainment industry, where many marriages have ended before the five-year mark, Davis has maintained hers, recently marking 20 years of marital bliss. Taking to Instagram, the Rhode Island College graduate dropped six photos highlighting some of her most memorable moments with Tennon.
In the first photo, the "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" star leaned on her husband and looked at him lovingly while they both sat at the back of a convertible with a red interior. The second image showed the couple smiling happily as they held each other closely, and the third showed their younger selves beaming at the camera.
The "Air" actress was glowing in the fourth and fifth snaps, showcasing her and Tennon on their wedding day and on — what we assume was — the lovebirds' vow renewal featuring their adopted daughter, Genesis. The final shot was of Davis exhibiting her effortless beauty in a floor-length black-and-white striped dress.
Her handsome husband stood beside her, holding her around the waist, in a two-piece neutral-toned suit and a white button-down shirt. Under the carousel of snaps, the EGOT queen wrote:
“20 years of connection. We've seen the loss of family members and held each other up. We've had accolades, triumphs, joy, grief, exhaustion and still I feel your grip. Through the fire and brimstone of life we have held on...together.....to each other....understanding no matter what, the promise is to not let go. To the end my love.... Happy 20th Anniversary!!!”
Several people, including Davis' famous friends and fans, offered their congratulations in the post's comment section. Her "The Help" co-star Octavia Spencer exclaimed, "Happy Anniversary, y'all!!!!" and actress Taraji P. Henson dropped three Purple Heart emojis.
At the same time, one fan complimented, "Gorgeous couple. Y'all get better with age," and another gushed, "Happy Anniversary! Wishing you many more decades of love, laughter, respect, and adventures together."
A third fan stated, "So beautiful you two. ❤️ love the commitment to love each other forever 🔥😍❤️," while a fourth yelled, "Happy Anniversary to you both! They are one of my favorite couples, hands down. We can feel the love and authenticity!"
Additionally, a fifth person commented, "Congratulations, Beautiful Couple♥️🙏 I read your book, and you are an inspiration to me and so many others."
Davis and Tennon have been warming people's hearts since 1999 when they first met on the set of the classic CBS series, "City of Angels." Since the "How to Get Away with Murder" star was new to Los Angeles, the then-stranger suggested taking her to the Santa Monica Pier.
Despite her initial hesitation, she eventually gave in to the "Another Pair of Aces" actor's request, and the rest quickly became history. They dated for four years before walking down the aisle — twice — in 2003.
Explaining what exactly transpired at that point, the first actress of color to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series disclosed:
"The first time we got married with 15 people in our condo. It wasn't big enough. So, three months later we went to Rhode Island with about 100 people."
During a 2016 interview with PEOPLE on how she and the "Shadow Force" actor have kept the spark in their relationship alive, she shared, "It's about the everyday. I think that that's what people forget when they fall in love with someone, and it's exciting."
'The Woman King' Star's Love For Acting Skipped Over Daughter Genesis
During a media chat at the 48th Chaplin Award Gala in New York, where she was honored, Davis spilled the tea on her daughter's future as an actress. The 57-year-old had been asked if the 12-year-old had expressed any interest in acting as a career by ET.
And in response, the Golden Globe Awards winner claimed that she was unsure about the pre-teen having the "acting bug," especially since she seemed indifferent towards the notion and mainly was "like, 'eh'" about it.
Despite the youngster's calm demeanor, the 57-year-old mom and her thespian beau will support their only child if she chooses the Hollywood path or anything else. As Davis' said:
"We are going to support whatever it is she wants to do, but we don’t know what that’s going to be yet."
Regardless of what Genesis' future entails, we are sure that having a mom whose hard work earned her a Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for her memoir, "Finding Me," will soften her process and progress.