Celebrity
The couple has been together on and off for over four decades.
Magic and Cookie Johnson may have one of the longest-lasting relationships in Hollywood.
We met in college as freshmen [at Michigan State].
I went to a club.
One of the only clubs on the campus.
According to Cookie, Magic didnt ask her to dance.
He said, Yeah, by the way, give me your number.
Cause he never said anything to me the entire night, she explained.
Both of them were set to go home for Christmas break the next day.
He said, Yes, I will.
I gave him the number and literally the day I set foot back on campus he called me.
He took me on a real date.
Like a date, date.
I thought he was going to take me to Arbys, she said.
Instead, they went to a steak house.
We had a great time.
We had a wonderful conversation.
It was like we were old friends, she continued.
That was the beginning of when I fell in love with him.
There was a lot ofbreaking up and getting back together, a lot of ups and downs.
Weve been through everything together, Cookie later said of she and Magics relationship, per Essence.
1991: Cookie & Magic Get Married
Magic and Cookie married in LA in September 1991.
He wore a white tux and she a white gown and large tiara.
By far, marrying you was one of the best decisions Ive ever made.
He reflected on their marriage again in a 2021 tribute.
Cookie, our 30 year marriagehas been the best time of my life, he wrote on Instagram.
Ever since the day I laid eyes on you in 1978 I knew you were the one for me.
I thank God every day for you and for bringing you into my life!
Youve made me a better man, person, husband, father, and businessman.
“I’ve played against some of the best basketball players in the world, right?
I’ve been in championships.
I’ve been in nine [NBA] Finals, so I know pressure.
But there was no greater pressure than driving home to tell her.”
Cookie recounted her exact emotionswhen Magic told herin a 2016 interview withGood Morning America.
It scared me to death, she said.
“We both fell on our knees and we started crying.”
1992: EJ Johnson Is Born
In 1992, the Johnsons welcomed their first child, E.J.
Now 29, hes gone on to work in fashion, and starred on the E!
reality seriesRich Kids of Beverly Hillsas well as his own spinoffEJNYCin the 2010s.
He currently has a voice role onThe Proud FamilyrebootLouder And Prouder.
Like her brother EJ, Elisa is interested in fashion, andlaunched her own sunglass line in 2021.
It was like, I dont want you dancing with me.
I want to dance with these people over here, she said.
That kind of got to me, because it had been boiling, boiling, boiling, boiling anyway.
And I lost it.
However, their separation only lasted two weeks.
In her interview withMocha Man Style, Cookie revealed how they maintain their spark.
We do simple things.
We started this in college.
We always went to the movies once a week, she said.
Theyve continued the tradition long into their marriage, making time for a date each Friday night.
We go to the movies.
We have a good time.
The couple also enjoys spending time at their beach house together.
Sometimes were going in different directions and its so important for marriages to find that time to reconnect.
