Angela Bassett's 2 Kids: Meet Bronwyn and Slater Vance
- Celebrity
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- UPDATED January 28, 2025
by Tasha Mayberry
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Angela bassett and courtney b. vance are the definition of a power couple—award-winning actors, philanthropists, and devoted parents. after seven long years of ivf, they welcomed fraternal twins bronwyn golden vance and slater josiah vance on jan. 27, 2006, via surrogate. “i had a dream about seven years ago that we were going to have twins. i didn’t know how it was going to happen,” vance shared with oprah in 2007. bassett added, “just standing there together, holding each other with the realization that this is the moment we’ve been working toward, praying for … [it’s a dream come true].”
In 2023, when bassett lost the best supporting actress oscar for black panther: wakanda forever, bronwyn and slater—who attended the ceremony with their parents—were “supremely disappointed.” reflecting on the moment during a march 2024 appearance on live with kelly and mark, bassett said, “it was a teachable moment to carry yourself with grace. keep one foot in front of the other, keep going, keep following your dreams. because 24 hours—what a difference a day makes.
Bronwyn Golden Vance, 19
Born via surrogate on jan. 27, 2006, bronwyn golden vance is bassett and vance’s daughter. as a child, bronwyn often mimicked her mom, especially when it came to disciplining her twin brother, slater. “my daughter, from the time she was little, was always looking to me for an example,” bassett told vulture in 2019. “if i told her brother, ‘slater, put that down,’ she’d echo, ‘slater, put that down!’ she was my little copycat.”
As bronwyn grew, she and slater developed a shared interest in music. “they both play piano, rap, and guitar,” bassett revealed during the 2021 golden globes. her kids also enjoyed her animated film soul. “they got the themes and ideas from it and really appreciated it,” she added.
Slater Josiah Vance, 19
Like his sister, slater josiah vance was born via surrogate on jan. 27, 2006. while close now, the twins often bickered as kids. “oh gosh, they fight,” bassett told access hollywood in 2013. “if we’re not bickering, punching, or fighting, then yes, i’m happy. but every day, we’re bickering, punching, and fighting!”
Even so, slater was protective of his sister. “if she’s having trouble in school, he’s right there, like, ‘don’t talk back to my sister!’” bassett shared. as a teenager, slater channeled his energy into music, releasing his first album, journey 2 forever, in 2021, followed by an ep, holehearted, in 2022—an accomplishment that made his parents proud.
Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance’s Relationship Timeline
Bassett and vance’s love story began at the yale school of drama in the 1980s, but sparks didn’t fly immediately since vance had a girlfriend at the time. years later, in 1994, they crossed paths again, now both single. “it was like, ‘hey! great to see you,’” bassett recalled in a 2007 oprah interview. after a few dates, their first kiss sealed the deal. “i got pinpricks and chills up the back of my thighs, across my butt, up my neck, and across my scalp,” bassett wrote in their joint memoir, friends: a love story.
