Rishika Shahi
In a candid interview, acclaimed actor Samuel L. Jackson opened up about the challenges he and his wife, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, have faced in their marriage. Despite the difficulties that arise, Jackson emphasizes the importance of resilience and communication in maintaining a strong relationship. He reflects on how easy it would be to give up but highlights their mutual commitment to working through issues together, showcasing the strength of their bond.
The Importance of Communication
In an extensive interview, the 75-year-old actor from Piano Lesson, who is featured on the cover of AARP The Magazine’s October/November 2024 issue, discusses his profession, sobriety, and family life.
During the talk, Jackson describes how he and LaTanya, 74, had resolved marital problems together when it would have been “easy to give up” on one another. It requires “a lot of tolerance, because everybody’s got flaws, and not giving up when it would be easy to give up,” according to him.
“I’ve done s— in my marriage, that’s crazy, you know? She has too, in her head or whatever in reality, but you got to go, ‘Is that a breakup offense?’ Or is it just that we need to spend a little time together and get some understanding about it?”
“Or,” the Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist star continues, “there are certain things that you learn to ignore about people — that she’s learned to ignore about me. And one of the things she had to accept is that I’m going to go to work. I’m going to go to work all the time until, you know, it’s time.”
Celebrating the Journey Together
The couple revealed how they once made a deal to stick together no matter what when they appeared on the cover of PEOPLE in 2022. “In the beginning,” LaTanya said at the time, “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, since everybody likes to pretend that that’s not the dynamic of the African American family. That it’s just children out here being raised by women, which we know is false.”
“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,’ ” she said.
Despite the challenges they face, Jackson emphasizes the importance of celebrating the positive moments in their relationship. He believes that acknowledging achievements and shared experiences helps strengthen their bond and reminds them of the love they have for each other.
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