LaTanya Richardson Jackson Talks Retirement Pact with Samuel L. Jackson

New York City, NY — LaTanya Richardson Jackson revealed in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE that she and her husband, actor Samuel L. Jackson, have made a unique pact regarding retirement. During a press junket on May 8, the couple discussed their commitment to being honest with each other about their future careers.

LaTanya, 75, shared that she and Samuel, 76, plan to continue working as long as they can. However, they pledged to alert each other when it is time to step back. “My husband and I — Sam and I — both have said we’re going to do it till the wheels fall off,” LaTanya explained. “We have this pact between us that if we see ourselves doing more than we should, we’ll pull each other in and say, ‘It’s time. Come in the house,’ and do it that way.”

She added, “We are just going to do this as long as life allows.” The couple, who has been married for over 40 years, also has a daughter, Zoe Jackson. LaTanya humorously recounted a time she forgot to tell Samuel about her recent Tony nomination because she was in “mother mode.”

“My daughter was trying to get tickets. She called me, saying, ‘Dad’s not answering. Can you call him?’ I said, ‘He’s in London. Let me call him,’” LaTanya shared. “When I hung up, he called back asking, ‘Why didn’t you tell me you had gotten nominated for a Tony?’ I said, ‘Because I was on the mother train, and I wasn’t thinking.’”

In their interview, LaTanya reflected on the couple’s commitment to each other, stating they agreed to stay together no matter what. “In the beginning, we always said the most revolutionary thing that Black people could do was stay together,” she noted. “We made a decision to say, ‘We are going to stay together no matter what. We’ll figure it out.’”

The couple also shared insights into their annual tradition of taking a break from work every July to spend quality time with family, often on a boat where they enforce a no-wake rule. LaTanya expressed gratitude for their active careers at their age, saying, “I’m amazed at how busy we are in our seventh decade. I’m grateful because I think of all the things that could be.”