We take a look at the The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star’s dreamy love story
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGES VIA INSTAGRAM (@IAMALEXSYKES)
Wanda Sykes has been in everything. ABC’s Black-ish. Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Over The Hedge. Ice Age. Rio. The American comedian has even been named one of the top 25 Funniest People In America by Entertainment Weekly.
In 2008, Wanda came out at a rally after Californian voters passed Proposition 8 which banned same-sex marriage. Making an impromptu speech, Wanda told the world that she was in fact married to her wife – Alex Sykes.
Come along with us in this week’s DIVA Dating Digest to look back at their love story.
2006: Wanda and Alex meet on a ferry ride
Having grown up with deeply religious parents, Wanda didn’t come out until she was in her 40s. However, when she was on a ferry to Fire Island in 2006 she stumbled upon the love of her life – Alex.
In an interview with The Guardian, Wanda shares the memory of their meeting. Her first impression of Alex? “Something really said to me — like, audibly — ‘Wow, that’s what you need, Wanda.’”
The pair met again when Wanda was looking to get her kitchen remodelled, and Alex – who sold granite countertops – was recommended to her. The rest is history.
October 25, 2008: Wanda and Alex get married
Two years after they met, Wanda and Alex tied the knot. At the time Wanda was still not publicly out so we don’t know too much about their wedding. In 2021, Alex posted a cute snap to Instagram with the caption: “Guess what happened October 25, 2008?? Well… that’s when we said “WE DO”. 13 years later she loves me even more.”
November 15, 2008: Wanda publicly comes out
Just a few weeks after the couple had gotten married, Wanda attended a rally in response to voters in California passing Proposition 8 – a (since overturned) ban on same-sex marriage. Although Wanda hadn’t planned on announcing her wedding or coming out, when she was at the rally she felt compelled to give a speech.
Speaking on The Meredith Vieira Show, Wanda said: “It just came out you know. Because I just got married and so instead of speaking as a supporter, I was speaking as one of the, I guess, victims.”
April 27, 2009: Wanda and Alex welcome their twins
Less than a year after their wedding, Alex and Wanda announced the birth of their twin babies Olivia Lou and Lucas Clyde.
In an interview with NPR’s Fresh Air, Wanda revealed that she didn’t always want kids. “I didn’t want kids. I had no vision of having kids at all,” she said. “And when I met my wife, she – that was her thing. Look. Right up front, I want kids. And I was like, well, can you give me, like, six months to think about it?”
Wanda continued: “And let’s just continue dating, and then we’ll see. And if I know it’s not for me, then, you know, we’ll just call this quits, and you go on and find somebody who wants to have kids. So she agreed, so – but after that six months, even before then, I quickly was like, you know? Why wouldn’t you want kids? Why wouldn’t you want to start a family with this person? And it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”
2011: Wanda has a double mastectomy
After being diagnosed with a non-invasive breast cancer, Wanda chose to have a double mastectomy. In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Wanda said: “I was like, I don’t know, should I talk about it or what? How many things could I have? I’m Black, then Lesbian. I can’t be the poster child for everything.”
2023: Wanda shares dreamy snaps of their life in France
Clinking their wine glasses together, Wanda and Alex still seem just as loved up now as they did back in 2008. Sharing snaps of their time in France together, we can’t wait to continue seeing what this couple gets up to!
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