Actor Morris Chestnut has played opposite to a lot of beautiful leading ladies in his 30-plus year career.
There’s been Vivica Fox, Halle Berry, Monica Calhoun, and in his most recent film, When The Bough Breaks, it was Regina Hall.
READ: The Transformation Of Morris Chestnut: From Fine to Finer
But there has been one constant leading lady in his real life, his wife, Pam Byse. The couple will be celebrating their 30 years of marriage this summer.
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The couple is so super cute together. Morris even penned a rap for his wife in the viral “For The P…” challenge when that hashtag was a hit on social media. For Morris to be in Hollywood, 30 years is like a lifetime! So the questions we asked, including how do they keep the spark alive, Morris had to take it back to when they first met.
What Made Him Choose Her as His Wife?
“We met in a club,” admits Morris. “I was doing something in Atlanta and at the time it was Deion Sanders, Ron Grant and a dude named Tiny Lister (Deebo from Friday),“ continues Chestnut. “I was doing a tv movie out there and I went to the club. Tiny was living in Atlanta. He knew the ins and outs of the city, and he was just like, Mr. Atlanta. We were hanging out in the club and he told me about this chick, that chick, whatever. Then I saw Pam, who is my wife, and I said, ‘What’s up with her?’ He said, ‘Nah, man, don’t waste your time. She don’t give anybody no play.’ So as soon as he said that, I was like, ‘That’s the woman I need to go holler at.'”
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“One of the things that made me truly realize that I wanted her to be my wife is the way she was. She has three older sisters and they have kids. Her nephew was very young at the time, and when we were dating I would see the way she was with kids. I’ve always thought that she was a good person and attractive and all that, but one of the primary reasons why I wanted her to be my wife was because I knew that she would be an excellent mother to my kids.”
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Morris Defines Roles in His Marriage
So once the honeymoon stage was gone, how did he deal with the fame and the women that come with all that fame? For the Chestnuts, it’s all about knowing your role in the family.
“I let my wife be the woman. You know? I let her be the woman…And she, in turn, when it comes down to it, she lets me be the man…” Chestnut says.
He also shared the key in keeping doubts at bay, which we can imagine could creep up when you’re married to such a sex symbol.
“With my wife, I’m always letting her know what the deal is. ‘It’s you. Ain’t nobody else. It’s you.’ And I think, conversely, that’s what a woman needs to do for a man.”
The couple has two children and has no signs of slowing down in the love department.
But what some people see in others outside of their marriage, Morris sees it as a distraction from his true blessing.
The #1 Key to Their Marriage
“I have been with my wife for a number of years now and the number one thing that keeps us strong is a mutual respect; that is first and foremost.
I would like to think of myself as pretty perceptive because when I am in different types of situations, I am always watching and listening more than I am talking.
And when I met my wife, there were a lot of qualities I was paying attention to.
I knew that she would be a great mother just for how she cared for her nephew and her family.
She respected her mother and she respected her family and those were some of the initial qualities that I saw that I thought would make her a great partner.”
As Pam turns 50 next year, she and other women her age need to continue to stay on top of their health by getting certain tests done like:
- Total cholesterol
- HDL or high-density lipoprotein
- Blood pressure
- Blood sugar
- Hormone levels to prevent fibroids
- Body Mass Index
- Skin Cancer screening
- Hearing tests
Chestnut continues to play such iconic characters as Ricky in Boyz N the Hood, Lance in The Best Man, Dr. Rosewood on the FOX-TV show, Rosewood and his latest series, Reasonable Doubt and Watson on CBS.
How Long do Most Hollywood Marriages Last?
On average, Hollywood marriages last about 7.4 years, which is 75% shorter than the national average. This is also twice as likely to end in divorce.
Factors that contribute to high divorce rates:
- Increased pressure
- Lack of quality time together
- Living life in the spotlight
- Age
- Competing ego syndrome
- Infidelity
- Domestic violence
- Substance abuse
- Lifestyle
- Schedules
