We all know and love Larenz Tate for his roles in the many movies and TV shows that hold a special place in our hearts. But when it comes to his personal life and family, Tate is known to value his privacy. Recently, the actor let down his walls a bit to tell the story of how he met his wife, Tomasina Tate, 20 years ago—a fate made possible by fellow actor Jamie Foxx.
As the latest star to be featured on TV One’s autobiographical series Uncensored, Larenz walks fans through his life and career. Part of his story includes the tale of how and his real-life leading lady first ran into each other. “We met almost 20 years ago at All Star Weekend in Oakland [in 2000], when Vince Carter did the crazy dunk,” he describes. “Jamie Foxx was throwing a party. He is known to throw the best parties.”
He then says Foxx persuaded him to play the wingman and entertain the friend of a woman he was trying to get to know. Initially, Tate wasn’t interested but later changed his mind when he saw his future wife. “I was wearing cornrows at the time, and I said [to her], ‘Hey, you know how to braid?’ She was like, ‘What, really? That’s your intro?’ It did not work.”
Ironically, it was Larenz and not Jamie Foxx who ended up making a love connection that night. “Tomasina and I were just talking, and we kept talking,” he says. “We were in a window in the hallway of this hotel. She was also there with her brother and friends. I remember us talking and it’s getting late. My brothers kept going in and out from the hotel downstairs and coming up. [They said] ‘Y’all still talking?’ ” They later exchanged numbers and agreed to hang out when they returned to Los Angeles. The rest, as they say, is history.
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Back in August 2019, Tate visited ESSENCE’s Yes, Girl! podcast and spoke briefly about the different roles he plays at home as a husband and devoted father.
“I like to believe I’m a really good friend to my wife,” he said. “I think friendship is important. I see her as my queen. There’s a level of respect. We’ve always built our relationship on the principles and standards that work for she and I. We take the best of things from other people we’ve seen, family and friends. But at the end of the day, it’s what works for us.”
Catch the premiere episode of Uncensored featuring Larenz Tate on TV One Sunday, September 6, at 10 p.m. ET/9C.
