The Academy Awards are set to air on Sunday, April 25, and despite the pandemic, it won’t be virtual. The guest list will likely be much smaller than ever before, but as the show goes on in person, it’s expected that there will be a red carpet, or at least some photo sessions, and that is where some of the best candid moments happen. There have been many gorgeous images captured from the annual event of Black celebrity couples posing and sharing tender moments on the red carpet, and while it’s unclear what to expect from the event as a whole this year, there are enough colorful moments from the past to look over fondly. To get you ready for the Academy Awards this weekend, take a look back at all the love shown between some of our favorite Black couples on the Oscars red carpet over the years.
01
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
The couple brought the cool (hey crop top and laid back collar!) to the 69th Annual Academy Awards in 1997.
02
Viola Davis and Julius Tennon
One of their first Oscars together was the 81st Annual Academy Awards in 2009. She was nominated for the first time for “Doubt.”
03
Beyoncé and Jay-Z
The couple’s first appearance at the Oscars together (they haven’t been back since) was at the 77th Annual Academy Awards in 2005.
04
Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee
He wouldn’t win his first Oscar until 2019, but Spike Lee and wife Tonya Lewis Lee looked like winners at the 77th Annual Academy Awards in 2005.
05
Denzel and Pauletta Washington
Already an Oscar winner by this time, Denzel and Pauletta attended the 64th Annual Academy Awards looking lovely back in 1992.
06
Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham
The queen of talk and her longtime love hit the red carpet for the 67th Annual Academy Awards in 1995.
07
Antoine Fuqua and Lela Rochon
Lela Rochon and husband, director Antoine Fuqua attend the 74th Annual Academy Awards in 2002.
08
Kevin and Eniko Hart
The couple had a great time at their first Oscars — the 87th Annual Academy Awards in 2015.
09
Pharrell Williams and Helen Lasichanh
The couple share a tender moment on the red carpet at the 88th Annual Academy Awards in 2016.
10
DeVon Franklin and Meagan Good
The producer and the gorgeous actress attended their first Oscars together, guests for the 91st Annual Academy Awards in 2019.
11
Courtney B. Vance and Angela Bassett
The forever young and in love pair attended the 91st Annual Academy Awards together in 2019. During previous Oscar attendances, he wasn’t credited as her date.
12
Forest and Keisha Whitaker
The couple are actually pictured at the 2007 Vanity Fair Oscar Party after Forest won his first Academy Award at the ceremony that night for “The Last King of Scotland.” We just loved this photo too much not to use it!
13
Debbie Allen and Norman Nixon
The color-coordinated couple have been to a number of Oscar ceremonies. They’re pictured at the 64th Annual Academy Awards in 1992.
14
Ryan Coogler and Zinzi Evans
There representing for team Black Panther, writer and director Ryan Coogler looked regal with his then-pregnant wife Zinzi at the 91st Annual Academy Awards in 2019.
15
Chadwick Boseman and Taylor Simone Ledward
The late actor and his love looked beautiful in black at the 91st Annual Academy Awards in 2019.
16
Mahershala Ali and Amatus Sami-Karim
This chic duo showed up for the 90th Annual Academy Awards in 2018, a year after his win for “Moonlight.”
17
Samuel Jackson and LaTanya Richardson
The longtime couple was all smiles at the 70th Annual Academy Awards in 1998.
18
Don Cheadle and Bridgid Coulter
The longtime couple attended the 77th Annual Academy Awards in 2005, where he was nominated for his work in “Hotel Rwanda.”
