Sterling K. Brown is a winner by any measure. The 47-year-old actor is an Oscar nominee for his role as Clifford Ellison in the film “American Fiction” and has previously won three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe, two NAACP Image awards, and four SAG awards for his work. But his success doesn’t stop at acting — it also includes love.
The actor is happily married to his wife, actress Ryan Michelle Bathe, as witnessed by the couple’s sweet moments at the AAFCA Awards, sponsored by Nissan, in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, February 20. Bathe, who appeared alongside her husband in season two of “Black Love,” introduced Brown at the award show with a moving speech.
“So, I’m just going to say it. Sterling was doing the absolute most in ‘American Fiction,” she jokingly said from the Beverly Wilshire Ballroom, smiling from ear to ear. “I bet you anything he’s rolling his eyes right now because I was really, really late to the one screening I attended.”
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“Whether he’s making us mad, making us sad, being selfless, or self-centered — that’s his gift. And for his efforts, he’s earned his third AAFCA award.”
Bathe was overcome with emotion and fought back tears as she shared her joy over Brown’s Academy Award nomination, beginning a standing ovation that the audience soon followed.
Brown made sure to thank and shout out his wife as he accepted the award from her, saying, “That’s my wife, yall!”
“I was most worried about how she’d react [to the movie] because she read a lot of E. Lynn Harris novels when we first got together,” Brown joked. “I was like, ‘alright, this is gonna be okay.’”
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The love seen between the couple had attendees gushing at the table and reminded us of their now-iconic appearance on “Black Love.” Brown and Bathe shared their love journey on the acclaimed docu-series in 2017, detailing their time as college sweethearts to their loving marriage and life as parents to their shared passion of acting.
It’s been years since their “Black Love” appearance, and their love is still going as strong as ever. Here at Black Love, we highlight love stories that can inspire and uplift others, and Brown and Bathe are a perfect example of that.
At the AAFCA Awards, Brown also spoke about love in a broader sense, commenting on his character’s LGBTQ+ identity and how love is all-encompassing and wide-ranging. He dished about his work as an advocate and his strong belief in love for all.
“My ministry is to love without limits,” Brown said. “I have three people in my immediate family who are gay and I love them. I want to thank the LGBT+ community for receiving this performance with the love of which it was intended. Hopefully you are able to see yourself to some extent within it, because I know after 47 years of life on this planet, I most definitely see myself in you.”
Brown and Bathe’s love and advocacy is not only inspirational, but impactful too. Congratulations to Black Love alum Sterling K. Brown!
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