Ice-T and his wife, Coco Austin, have been married for 23 years, and the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit star shared the secret to the longevity of their marriage.
“Jungle sex,” Ice-T told E! News in an interview published on Wednesday, January 17. “That flame has to stay lit.”
“When that flame goes out and you’re not really attracted to each other anymore,” he continued. “You have to address that very quickly because it’s something that’s necessary.”
The actor, 65, also emphasized that the key to staying together goes beyond the bedroom.
“I think Coco and I are teammates,” he said. “We have to be teammates, not opponents, not assets, not liabilities. I value what she brings to me, and I think it’s vice versa. We appreciate each other.”
The couple celebrated their 23nd anniversary on New Year’s Day.
“Here’s to 23 years with this guy!! My rock! My diamond in the rough! Love you beyond #HappyAnniversary#HappyNewYear2024 #nowordscandescribe,” Coco, 44, commented on a photo from their wedding in a post on December 31, 2023.
The rapper also posted a throwback photo with his wife and commented, “Today is Coco and my 23rd Anniversary! ❤️ Keep it fun, Keep it sexy, and by all means ‘Stay in LOVE!’ It just gets better every year..! EVERYONE have an Incredible New Years 🍾 2024 💎”
Ice-T and Coco met on a video set in 2001.He later recalled the meeting during a 2017 Mario Lopez: One on One interview.
“[I asked], ‘Would you ever consider dating a gangster rapper?’” Ice-T remembered. “The reason I said that, Mario, is I was wearing a red snakeskin suit.”
Austin revealed she “didn’t know what a gangster rapper was” based on being a “white valley girl,” so she responded, “Oh, well, if he’s nice.”
Ice-T responded, “Well, baby, if you take the ‘n’ off ‘nice’, you get ‘Ice.’”
They enjoyed an instant connection and began a long-distance relationship as he was in New York City shooting for Law & Order, while Austin worked in California as a model.
“We got married pretty fast,” Austin later wrote in her blog about their Las Vegas wedding. “He became my best friend and this instantly was someone I didn’t want to live without. We just knew we wanted to be together, we were like yin and yang, like peanut butter and jelly. LOL.”
Now they live in New Jersey and share a daughter, Chanel, 8.
The couple starred in the reality television series Ice Loves Coco from 2011-2014. Coco, who began her career as a swimsuit model, is also an actress, and has appeared in three episodes of Law and Order: SVU with her husband.
Ice-T joined the cast in season 2 in the role of Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola. Only Mariska Hargitay, who portrays Captain Olivia Benson, has appeared in more episodes of the series.
Law and Order: SVU begins its 25th season Thursday night on NBC.
