Menu

Viola Davis Celebrates 20th Wedding Anniversary: “The Best is Yet to Be”

Table of Contents

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner)

Award-winning actress Viola Davis has a lot to celebrate lately. She’s been in the critically-acclaimed film “AIR” about Michael Jordan’s relationship with Nike, she has a number of high-profile films coming out this year, and she just celebrated 20 years of being married to the ‘man of her dreams.’

Davis shared a heartwarming message in celebration of her 20-year marriage to her husband, Julius Tennon. In an Instagram post, the EGOT-winning actress began with, “20 years of connection.”

Featured on BlackDoctor

“We’ve seen the loss of family members and held each other up,” Davis continued. “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.”

The post included pictures of the couple through the years, including one from the wedding day and another with their daughter, Genesis. Tennon also has two other children from previous relationships.

Davis concluded the post by writing, “To the end my love,” adding, “Happy 20th Anniversary.”

The two stars met while working on the CBS show City of Angels in 1999.

Davis told People that she hesitated to reach out to Julius after he gave her a card with his information.

“I didn’t call him for six weeks,’ she admitted. ‘I had bad credit at the time. I had anxiety attacks from driving. I had to work out some personal issues first.”

But before she even met her ‘knight in shining armor’ Davis stated that she prayed for the specific type of man she wanted to marry.

In a 2013 Page Six interview, Viola famously shared that it was this special prayer she uttered when hoping to meet a husband.

“I was the loneliest woman in the world, and someone said, ‘You should just pray for a husband,'”

She shared that she prayed for “a big Black man from the South who looked like a football player, who already had children, who maybe had been married before.”

(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

They initially tied the knot on June 23, 2003, but had another wedding weeks later.

“The first time we got married with 15 people in our condo. It wasn’t big enough,” Viola explained to Jimmy Kimmel in 2016.

“So, three months later we went to Rhode Island with about 100 people,” she shared.

In a 2017 interview with OWN, the silver screen icon said, “After my first date with Julius, my life got better [in] every way. Anxiety went away, fear went away. He just made my life better.”

The lovely couple eventually went on to renew their vows on Valentine’s Day 2016 after 13 years of marriage.

“I wanted to have a ceremony that was really pretty with the fabulous dress and the fabulous food,” Davis dished to wedding website, The Knot.

“We had the greatest food, our signature drinks. It was called the Ju-V juice,” she recalled.

In a 2020 wedding anniversary post shared to social media, Viola wrote, ’17 years of marriage to the most beautiful man in the WORLD!!!!

‘You have made my life sweeter and my heart bigger. I prayed for you and God said,”Yes! I have just the right person for you!!!!” Happy Anniversary my love… The best is yet to be.’

SHARE
Related Stories
Answer the question below

Gout Survey

People with gout often have sudden, painful flares of joint swelling and redness. How many gout flares have you experienced in the last 12 months?
Have you ever received intravenous medicine for your gout?

Get our Weekly Newsletter

Stay informed on the latest breakthroughs in family health and wellness. Sign up today!

By subscribing, you consent to receive emails from BlackDoctor.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.

More from BlackDoctor

Where Culture Meets Care

BlackDoctor is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically for the Black community. BlackDoctor understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BlackDoctor gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.
✦ AI Search Disclaimer
This AI-powered search tool helps you find relevant health articles from the BlackDoctor.org archive. Please keep the following in mind:
✦ For Informational Purposes Only
The information provided through this AI search is for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
✦ Always Consult a Healthcare Provider
Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read through this search tool. If you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
✦ AI Limitations
This search tool uses artificial intelligence to help match your queries with articles in our archive. While we strive for accuracy, AI-generated results may occasionally be incomplete, outdated, or not fully relevant to your specific situation.
✦ No Doctor-Patient Relationship
Using this search tool does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and BlackDoctor.org or any healthcare provider.
Explore over 35,000 articles and videos across black health, wellness, lifestyle and culture
Full AI Search Experience >
×

Download PDF

Enter your name and email to receive the download link.

BlackDoctor AI Search