The Oscar-nominated actress, who turns 68 on Aug. 16, 2026, shares son Slater and daughter Bronwyn with her husband of nearly 30 years

Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, Bronwyn Vance and Slater VanceCredit: Frazer Harrison/Getty
Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, Bronwyn Vance and Slater Vance
Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty

Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance have 30 years of love and two children between them!

The Oscar-nominated actress, who turns 68 on Aug. 16, 2026, met Vance in the ‘80s, when they were both students at the Yale School of Drama. They reconnected a decade later in Los Angeles and began dating, tying the knot on Oct. 12, 1997. Nine years later, on Jan. 27, 2006, they welcomed fraternal twins Bronwyn Golden and Slater Josiah via surrogate.

“I had a dream about seven years ago that we were going to have twins,” Vance told Oprah in 2007. “Just standing there together, holding each other with the realization that this is the moment that we’ve been working toward, praying for … [it’s a dream come true].”

In 2024, Bassett told PEOPLE that she often felt guilty about her long hours while filming a movie or television show, but she hopes that “what will come out of that is that they see a mama, a woman, a Black woman achieving her dreams, having success.”

She continued, “They’ll see that hard work pays off. And they’ll be about that life for themselves.”

As Bassett celebrates her 68th birthday, see the couple’s children grow up in photos.

01 of 21

Things We Do Four Love

Courntey B. Vance and Angela Bassett with Slater and BronwynCredit: Michael Tran/FilmMagic
Courntey B. Vance and Angela Bassett with Slater and Bronwyn
Credit: Michael Tran/FilmMagic

Slater and Bronwyn, then 2, made their public debut at Bassett’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in March 2008.

02 of 21

Wild Life

Angela Bassett with Slater and BronwynCredit: David Livingston/Getty
Angela Bassett with Slater and Bronwyn
Credit: David Livingston/Getty

Bassett did her best to round up Slater and Bronwyn, who attended the AIDS Foundation’s Dream Halloween benefit dressed as a giraffe and flamingo.

03 of 21

Disney Magic

Angela Basset and Courtney B. Vance with Bronwyn and SlaterCredit: Michael Kovac/FilmMagic
Angela Basset and Courtney B. Vance with Bronwyn and Slater
Credit: Michael Kovac/FilmMagic

Their twins became accustomed to red carpets at a young age, walking with their mom and dad to see The Princess and the Frog at its 2009 premiere.

04 of 21

Winter Wonderland

Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance with Bronwyn and SlaterCredit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty
Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance with Bronwyn and Slater
Credit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty

The four bundled up to attend the NASDAQ stock market closing bell in N.Y.C. in December 2011.

05 of 21

Stay Animated

Angela Bassett with Bronwyn and SlaterCredit: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Angela Bassett with Bronwyn and Slater
Credit: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

The Golden Globe winner was more than happy to take her kids to the 2012 premiere of Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess.

06 of 21

Prim and Proper

Angela Bassett with Bronwyn and SlaterCredit: Tibrina Hobson/FilmMagic
Angela Bassett with Bronwyn and Slater
Credit: Tibrina Hobson/FilmMagic

She brought her twins as her plus-two to the Shall We Dance annual gala for the Coalition for At-Risk Youth in 2013.

07 of 21

Baby’s First Awards Show

Angela Bassett and Bronwyn VanceCredit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Angela Bassett and Bronwyn Vance
Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Bassett and Bronwyn, then 7, stepped out at the 2013 Kids Choice Awards in L.A.

08 of 21

Fatherly Duties

Courtney B. Vance with Slater and BronwynCredit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage
Courtney B. Vance with Slater and Bronwyn
Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Vance gave his children a fun movie night, bringing them to the premiere of the 2014 animated film The Nut Job.

09 of 21

Theater Kids

Angela Bassett with Bronwyn and SlaterCredit: Michael Tullberg/Getty
Angela Bassett with Bronwyn and Slater
Credit: Michael Tullberg/Getty

The twins went with their mom to the opening night performance of the play Fly in Pasadena, California, in 2016.

10 of 21

Just Keep Swimming

Courtney B. Vance, Bronwyn Vance, Slater Vance and Angela BassettCredit: Kevork Djansezian
Courtney B. Vance, Bronwyn Vance, Slater Vance and Angela Bassett
Credit: Kevork Djansezian

Then 11, Bronwyn and Slater attended the USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards with their parents in 2017.

11 of 21

Family Forever

Slater Vance, Angela Bassett, Bronwyn Vance and Courtney B. VanceCredit: David Crotty/Patrick McMullan
Slater Vance, Angela Bassett, Bronwyn Vance and Courtney B. Vance
Credit: David Crotty/Patrick McMullan

The two popped in their colorful prints with Mom and Dad at the premiere of Bassett’s 2018 film Black Panther.

12 of 21

Night at the Opera

Courtney B. Vance with Slater and BronwynCredit: Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty
Courtney B. Vance with Slater and Bronwyn
Credit: Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty

Bronwyn and Slater got all dressed up to go with their dad to the opening night gala of Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera House in N.Y.C. in 2019.

13 of 21

Two with Nature

Bronwyn Vance and Angela BassettCredit: Angela Basset Instagram
Bronwyn Vance and Angela Bassett
Credit: Angela Basset Instagram

“On a stretch of unspoiled California coastline with my beautiful daughter,” Bassett wrote in an Instagram post under a rare personal photo with Bronwyn.

14 of 21

Green Glitz

Slater Vance, Angela Bassett and Courtney B. VanceCredit: Jerritt Clark/Getty
Slater Vance, Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance
Credit: Jerritt Clark/Getty

A glamorous Vance and Bassett took their son Slater to the WACO Wearable Art Gala in Santa Monica, California, in 2022.

15 of 21

It Suits Them

Slater Vance, Bronwyn Vance and Courtney B. VanceCredit: Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic
Slater Vance, Bronwyn Vance and Courtney B. Vance
Credit: Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic

Vance twinned with his children in suits for the American Black Film Festival Honors in March 2023.

16 of 21

Matching Moment

Courtney B. Vance, Bronwyn Vance, Angela Bassett and Slater VanceCredit: Kayla Oaddams/WireImage
Courtney B. Vance, Bronwyn Vance, Angela Bassett and Slater Vance
Credit: Kayla Oaddams/WireImage

Bronwyn and Slater mirrored their parents in a purple gown and black suit, respectively, for the 2023 Oscars, where Bassett was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

17 of 21

New Look

Slater Vance, Bronwyn Vance, Angela Bassett and Courtney B. VanceCredit: Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images
Slater Vance, Bronwyn Vance, Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance
Credit: Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images

Bassett then changed into a bright red ensemble for the Vanity Fair afterparty.

18 of 21

Long Overdue

Slater Vance, Angela Bassett, Bronwyn Vance and Courtney B. VanceCredit: Frazer Harrison/Getty
Slater Vance, Angela Bassett, Bronwyn Vance and Courtney B. Vance
Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty

In 2024, Vance and the twins supported Bassett at the Governors Awards, where she received an Honorary Academy Award.

19 of 21

Fashionable Family

Courtney B. Vance, Angela Bassett, Bronwyn Vance and Slater VanceCredit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty
Courtney B. Vance, Angela Bassett, Bronwyn Vance and Slater Vance
Credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

The family of four arrived together at the haute couture show of designer Stephane Rolland, who would later create Bronwyn’s gown for Le Bal des Débutantes.

20 of 21

Big Debut

Angela Bassett and Bronwyn VanceCredit: Ophélie Renouard/Instagram
Angela Bassett and Bronwyn Vance
Credit: Ophélie Renouard/Instagram

Bronwyn helped design her own gown for the Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris. The event’s official Instagram posted a photo of Bassett and Bronwyn smiling with Rolland.

21 of 21

Full Circle

Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, Bronwyn Vance and Slater VanceCredit: Frazer Harrison/Getty
Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, Bronwyn Vance and Slater Vance
Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty

Seventeen years after their mom’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, Slater and Bronwyn returned for their dad’s special occasion, all grown up.



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