Inside Ballerina Misty Copeland’s Marriage to Attorney Olu Evans

Professional ballerina Misty Copeland has broken boundaries in the industry, having entered the ballet world later than most, at 13 years old, only to go on and become the American Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) second African American female soloist in 2007 and the first Black woman principal dancer in 2015, according to her official website. She has accomplished some amazing things on her journey to becoming one of the world’s most recognized ballerinas.

And it was while she was on this journey, which she has since set an end date for after announcing she’ll retire from ballet in the fall of 2025 via Instagram, that she met her now-husband, Olu Evans. Who is he and what does he do? Well, here’s a fun tidbit to start with — he’s actually the cousin of a very famous actor.

Misty Copeland is married to Olu Evans, whom she first met in Chelsea, N.Y., in 2004 at a club, she shared in a 2014 Elle interview. Olu was the first to spot her on the dance floor while out with his famous cousin, the one and only Taye Diggs. At the time, Taye was already known for appearing in romantic dramas and comedies like Brown Sugar and The Best Man, both of which had already been released before Misty and Olu crossed paths.

Ironically, Misty’s meeting and eventual relationship with Olu felt like something out of a romantic film. The two hit it off at the club in Chelsea and went on to date. “He was my first boyfriend,” Misty told Elle. Their chemistry must have been strong because after more than a decade together, they got engaged in 2015. The following year, they tied the knot on July 31, 2016, in a ceremony held in Laguna Beach, Calif.

Over the course of their relationship, Misty has credited Olu with helping her grow as a person. “He’s taught me to communicate in ways I’d never learned before, to not run away from problems, and [to] sit down and think about things critically. And he made me feel like I really did have a bright future as a ballerina,” she shared.

Aside from being Misty’s one true love, Olu also plays other important roles, including attorney and father. He’s a lawyer registered in New York and attended Emory University School of Law, according to People. He became a licensed attorney in New York in 2007.

Misty and Olu really allowed their relationship and careers to blossom before expanding their family. After being together for nearly two decades, they finally welcomed a child into their lives, a son named Jackson. Jackson was born sometime around April 2022. A few months later, Misty opened up to People about becoming a new mom.

“It’s never easy, but I wouldn’t be able to do it without having a support system. My husband is incredible and he’s an amazing dad. He’s been there for me throughout my entire career to help me to be able to balance those things,” she shared.

While Misty doesn’t feature her son on Instagram (she reserves that space mostly for ballet), just know that behind the curtain, she plays many roles aside from being an amazing ballerina — she’s also a mom and a wife.