Inside Sterling K. Brown's Marriage To Actress Ryan Michelle Bathe
You may know Sterling K. Brown from his award-winning performances on shows like "This Is Us" and "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" and actress Ryan Michelle Bathe from "Boston Legal," "All Rise," and "First Wives Club," but this pair is also known for being total couple goals off the small screen.
Whenever the lovebirds hit the red carpet together, they make headlines for gushing over each other and supporting their spouse's accomplishments, especially when one of them wins an award. For example, during Brown's acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor at the 2016 Emmys, he showered his wife with high praise. "Contrary to popular belief, I got the hottest chick in the game rocking my chain," Brown proclaimed (via E! News). "Ryan Michelle Bathe, you make this whole thing go. I love you. Thank you."
Here's a look inside the talented Hollywood couple's longtime relationship and strong marriage.
Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown met in college
Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown's love story begins when they met while they were students at Stanford University. Both future stars acted in school productions and lived in the same dorm during their freshman year.
One of Bathe's first memories of Brown was him auditioning for the play "Joe Turner's Come and Gone," which "mesmerized" Bathe. "Everybody's like, 'Oh, Sterling is amazing. He's amazing.'" Bathe told ET. "And I'm like, 'He hasn't even scratched the surface.' At 18 years old, he got on the stage, and wasn't even off book, and was Joe Turner. He was 18!"
The two became castmates in the play and discovered they were both from St. Louis and were actually both welcomed into the world at the same hospital. However, Bathe was in a relationship at the time, so they developed a friendship. "Of course she was, she's gorgeous," Brown told ET about his future wife being in a relationship. So, the two formed a friendship before ultimately getting together.
They've broken up before
Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathe's relationship may seem like a fairy tale now, but it wasn't without its ups and downs. While in college, the couple dated off and on, according to People. Thankfully, the pair made it through and even came out with some memorable stories of their breakups and makeups.
In one story, the college sweethearts broke up after Bathe's mother and grandmother had an ominous premonition about Brown. "It still sounds crazy," Bathe jokingly told OWN's "Black Love" while recounting the story. "The vision was, 'He is this horrible person, you need to be deathly afraid of him, he's evil.'" While the couple can laugh now, Bathe said she was scared and ended the relationship, though they eventually reconciled when she thought things through. "I had to learn that it was okay to let things go and I wasn't letting people go. I wasn't letting my grandmother go," Bathe said. "I was just letting outmoded ideas go."
Presumably during another time the couple had broken up, which lasted for three and half years, Brown had an "epiphany" about Bathe being the love of his life. When he went to tell her, she was working out and decided to go for a run outside. So, as he told "The Talk" (via People), he went running too, so he could talk to her — despite him wearing a full suit at the time. Of the experience, he noted, "Brother had to work, but it was well-worth while."
The actors have worked together
Sterling K. Brown fans may know him from his award-winning portrayal of Randall Pearson on NBC's "This Is Us" (via IMDb), but they may not know his wife also appeared on the hit show. Ryan Michelle Bathe had a recurring role as Yvette — the new friend of young Randall's parents Rebecca and Jack (via Deadline).
Before "This Is Us," the pair worked on the military drama "Army Wives," in which Brown played Roland Burton and Bathe had a recurring role as Charlie, the head of the Youth Center.
While Brown and Bathe are both actors and even appeared on the same sets during and after college, they insist that they don't rehearse together. "We've had a lot of time to work together, so when it comes to running lines and stuff like that, we kind of have our own little worlds and our own little spaces," Bathe told InStyle. "But we definitely bounce ideas off of each other and I ask him for a ton of advice all the time, about everything."
They're supportive of each other's roles
Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown may not rehearse lines together, but they are still supportive of each other's careers and roles, though Brown did admit that being married to another actor can bring uneasy feelings. "Ryan celebrates my success," Brown told Men's Health. "But sometimes it's like, 'Damn, bro, when's it my turn?'" However, the famous couple discusses any jealousy that creeps up so they can resolve their feelings.
Not only are they open with each other about on-screen dynamics (like the time Brown told Bathe about the chemistry between him and his "This Is Us" wife actress Susan Kelechi Watson), they've also given each other career advice. "Some situations impact all of us as a family, so we have to be involved together," Bathe explained to Us Weekly about giving advice on a "case-by-case" basis. "In some situations, he'll tell me after the fact, if it's something that happened on set, or sometimes it's just navigating these new spaces and conversations, whether it's social media or Twitter, all of those things."
Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown have two children
Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown, who got married in 2007, have two sons (via People). Fans of the couple have seen their sons Andrew, the oldest, and Amaré showcase their personalities on their parents' social media. Their fun posts are just a glimpse into the family's dynamic. "I think we are just lucky to have very lively children," Bathe told InStyle when asked about keeping the spark alive in her marriage. "Our kids keep us laughing, and I think that's what it is." When asked about his marriage, Brown also referenced their kids in a separate interview with InStyle, noting that they're always laughing.
While the family has their share of fun, Brown and Bathe know the importance of raising children — a job Brown describes as the "greatest role" of his life. "Being a father makes you grounded," Brown told InStyle. "When other things in the world aren't going the way you want them to, you have to learn to shake that off for your kids."
The parents are open with their sons
Even though Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathe have lighthearted moments with their children, they also make sure to show the full scope of their relationship. That includes the parts that may be uncomfortable, like arguments.
Brown shared that when he and Bathe happen to argue in front of their sons, they make it a point to also openly reconcile so the children don't think their relationship is only about fighting. "The relationship has cycles," Brown told Us Weekly. "And you've got to share all of it with them so when they go out into the world and they're looking to partner with somebody to share their life, they're like, 'Look, we may argue, but we're going to come back together when it's all said and done.'"
Bathe also expressed how she wants to model strong values for her children. She hopes to "plant the seeds" that her children will one day understand. "I try to give them images," she explained in an interview with Us Weekly. Sterling K. Brown's wife noted that she tries to keep good company, so that her sons understand what strong women are like.
Their busy schedules can be a challenge
Being married to a famous actor can lead to a hectic schedule, especially if you're also one. It's no different for Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown, who admit it can be difficult to juggle their schedules, time for each other, and parenthood. "People always talk about the balance, but I think it's more like preparing a meal," Bathe said during an InStyle interview. "Some things come to the front burner, some things go to the back burner." For Bathe, realizing that it wasn't about "balance" helped her feel better about her day-to-day life.
Prioritizing time together also helps the couple, although that hasn't always been easy for the pair. "I think it's just something that you have to do or else it all just falls apart. You know?" Bathe told Us Weekly. "And there have been times when we've gotten to the point where we're, like, things are not good and it's because we were coasting and we weren't doing the date nights and we weren't doing this." However, with helping hands from their support system, Brown and Bathe have been able to strengthen their union, despite their busy lives.
Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown share their love on social media
Longtime couple Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathe aren't afraid to express their feelings in public. From red carpets to acceptance speeches and interviews, Brown and Bathe are known and loved for celebrating each other.
The duo also often displays their love on social media, where they can be caught gushing over each other. In one Instagram post, Brown shared a video of his wife as she got ready for the 2017 Emmys. "How can it get any better than this?" he captioned it. That same day, he tweeted a photo of his wife glowing in her yellow gown and simply captioned it, "Do the damn thang, Ry!" The following year, Brown posted a playful video in which he admired Brown as they're out and about during Emmy weekend. In the video, he jokingly asks if he can "get just a second" of her time.
Although the couple shows their romantic side, Bathe admitted she can be a little cynical when it comes to people sharing their love on the Internet. "In this age of social media, that's where I give a little side-eye, when people are like, 'It's me and my boo,' and they're like 18 and just got matching tattoos," she joked to InStyle. "It's easy to say it's your boo when everybody has six-pack abs and you guys don't go grocery shopping. Talk to me when you've had the same conversation about almond milk for 10 years!"