Angela Bassett is not prepared for her kids to leave the nest.
“Oh, I’m feeling very sad about it. I’m excited for them, I’m sad for me,” Bassett, 65, told Entertainment Tonight on Monday, March 11. “I might have to go to therapy. Just do a little bit.”
Bassett shares 18-year-old fraternal twins Bronwyn and Slater with husband Courtney B. Vance. Before Bassett and Vance, 64, started dating, the couple originally met at Yale School of Drama. Bassett noted on Monday that she would like to see her children attend Yale as well, but she doesn’t plan on influencing their decision.
“I’m pushing it but not too loudly,” she added. “I’m pushing it by keeping my mouth closed for now.”
After studying at Yale together in the ’90s, Bassett and Vance reconnected a decade later. They tied the knot in 1997 and expanded their family via surrogate. Over the years, the pair have offered insight into their long-lasting bond.
“25 years … When we first got married, we couldn’t wait to say we made it to 10 years! Now look at how far we’ve come!” Bassett captioned an Instagram video in 2022. “We’ve had ups, we’ve had downs; we gained two amazing children; but lost cherished family members and friends … We’ve had successes, we’ve had failures; we’ve had spectacular wins, we’ve had devastating losses … But through it all there’s been one, beautiful constant: We’ve always had each other!”
Vance previously opened up to Us Weekly about how he and Bassett maintained a strong marriage. “Our focus is on our children and what we need to do as a family. Careers and things follow that,” Vance shared in April 2019 before joking, “It’s, ‘Yes, dear. How can I help? What do you need me to do?’”
As Bassett’s career has continued to be on the rise, Vance and her kids have publicly shown their support.
“It is because of the love and support of my friends and my family that I stand here this evening,” Bassett said while accepting an honorary Oscar in January. “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. 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.”
