Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson met while they were both college students. After years of courtship which eventually led to a marriage and a daughter, the pair vowed always to stay together no matter what, and they have done so for decades now.
Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson attend the 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 12, 2022 in New York City.
However, he overcame his struggles with the help of his wife, who insisted he check into a rehab facility. Although Richardson could have left, she chose to stay and help her husband recover. The actress revealed she could not leave Jackson because God had told her not to leave but instead help her husband recover.
The couple has stayed together through the good and bad times to weather the storms. Jackson also credited his family’s love which aided him in becoming the man he was meant to be.
Richardson said that if it had not been for her faith, she would have left Jackson, but she got a message telling her to hold on. She said God told her not to leave her husband and instead to give him some help.
She said she spoke to God about her concerns and realized that her husband needed her. Richardson confirmed that if she had given him the help he needed and she still wanted to leave, she would have.
Samuel L. Jackson (right) and LaTanya Richardson during “U.S. Marshals” Los Angeles Premiere at Mann Village Theatre in Westwood, California, United States
The actor, who has been in recovery for more than 30 years, lauded his wife for being his backbone and the person who helped change his life for the better. He disclosed:
“She gave me the chance to be the man I was supposed to be.”
Yet Richardson still stuck by her husband’s side through it all. Jackson discovered he had a blood clot near his heart that could prove fatal, and his doctor told him he had to change his life. He said the diet was his best chance of “staying alive.”
He went on a vegan eating regime and lost a lot of weight. While people thought the weight loss indicated poor health, it was the exact opposite, and his wife was there for him through it all.
LaTanya Richardson and Samuel L. Jackson attend the 2022 Governors Awards at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 25, 2022 in Hollywood, California
They still go on dates and enjoy one another’s company amid all the chaos. Richardson has said that she’s amazed at how far she and her husband have come because she knows what life could have been like.
Although Jackson and Richardson both have busy schedules, they ensure to carve out time to spend with family. Each July, they take a break from their careers to be with the people they love.
Samuel L. Jackson (far R) and wife LaTanya Richardson (C) and daughter Zoe Jackson arrives at the 23rd Annual American Cinematheque Awards on December 1, 2008 in Beverly Hills, California
Often, the July vacation includes the family gathering on a boat, where Jackson has a specific set of rules that every person who joins them must follow. The rule is:
“Don’t wake anybody up. You sleep when you sleep. Then we come together to eat.”
Today Jackson is celebrating his 74th birthday. He is happy, healthy, and in love with his wife of 42 years. He is also proud of his daughter and his life with his family.