With the April 5 release of Ben Affleck’s biographical drama, Air, the viewers are treated to Viola Davis once again gracing the screen. We already know Davis as one of the industry’s most accomplished actresses with her powerful screen presence in renowned works such as Doubt, Fence, How to Get Away with Murder, and The Help, to name a few.
So, when the NBA legend Michael Jordan placed a special request before Affleck — that is, to cast Davis as Jordan’s mother in his film — fans were excited to see how the Academy and Emmy-winning actress comes across as Deloris Jordan on screen.
As Davis has proved that she has and is committed to living up to her reputation, fans have steered their attention to another aspect of her life — which is her personal life. They are interested to know if she is married, and if yes, then to whom. Turns out Davis is married to none other than her Air co-star Julius Tennon.
Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s relationship
Like Davis, Tennon is also known for making a noteworthy contribution to the industry and has left a trail of popular filmography along the way such as The Architect, Small Town Crime, Batman v Superman, Criminal Minds, and countless others. Both Tennon and Davis are also the founders of the production company, JuVee Production.
Not only is the pair a successful married couple, but their love story also goes way back to when they met for the first time in 1999 on the set of City of Angels and connected immediately. They married in 2003 and later adopted a daughter named Genesis. Recalling their first meeting, she told People how she first encountered her husband when he was eating a bagel.
“He was like, ‘Hey,’ because we had just did a scene. The only thing I thought was, ‘He’s good-looking. He’s really good-looking.’ I didn’t call him for six weeks. I had bad credit at the time. I had anxiety attacks from driving. I had to work out some personal issues first.”
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, she hinted how Tennon is the man of her dreams and contains all the qualities she wanted in a life partner.
“Someone who’s maybe been an actor who understands the artistic community. Someone who goes to church and loves God. I said, ‘If you give me that, I’ll start going to church, God. I really will. I’m committed to it.’ And then I signed off, just like writing a letter.”
The couple’s relationship attracted an enormous amount of media and tabloid attention, and in 2016, Davis opened up about the secrets of her and Tennon’s long-lasting relationship in an industry where break-ups are a common occurrence.
“It’s about the everyday. I think that that’s what people forget when they fall in love with someone and it’s exciting. You have to get back to the everyday — the taking the garbage out, the cooking, the cleaning — and it’s something that I think really works with me and my husband.”
On Monday, the couple appeared at the L.A. premiere of the biographical drama where Tennon plays Davis’ husband and Michael Jordan’s father, James R. Jordan Sr. “It’s like we were in eight days of bliss. You know, you work on these things all the time and you never think you’re gonna get that,” Davis said on her appearance in the movie along with her husband.
Davis and Tennon’s relationship is indeed an inspiration, and we hope to see them collaborating more in the future.