Harry Lennix Says Samuel L. Jackson 'Doesn't Mind' His Stage Romance with LaTanya Richardson Jackson (Exclusive)

When Harry Lennix romances LaTanya Richardson Jackson onstage successful Purpose, it’s pinch her hubby Samuel L. Jackson’s blessing.

“He says so,” Lennix, 60, tells PEOPLE. Running into his costar LaTanya’s real-life partner “out aft a show,” he jokes, “he ever says it's his clip to beryllium pinch his woman again. But he doesn't mind lending her retired to maine for a mates of hours a night.”

Purpose, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Broadway deed astatine nan Helen Hayes Theater, has made Lennix a first-time Tony Award nominee. At nan upcoming 78th yearly ceremonial June 8, nan Pulitzer Prize-winning family play — about nan fictional Jaspers, an influential Black American family reckoning pinch long-held secrets — is up for six Tonys. The critically acclaimed accumulation is directed by Phylicia Rashad.

“LaTanya Richardson Jackson is 1 of my very favourite actors successful nan world,” says Lennix, who has collaborated pinch his chap Tony nominee connected theatre productions stretching backmost almost 20 years. “She is simply a joy. She's truthful pliable. She's truthful consenting to play and explore, and she's ever having fun.”

Adds The Blacklist star, “When you bring joyousness to this game, it really is astir apt nan astir rewarding thing.”

That joyousness was felt offstage arsenic good arsenic on, adds Lennix. “We person really been a cohesive unit, a really tight group,” he says of nan cast, which includes nan Tony-nominated Jon Michael Hill, Glenn Davis and Kara Young.

“We've relied connected each different done immoderate times that we're — I wouldn't opportunity touch and spell — but erstwhile you're starring up to a play and caller worldly is being tried retired and rehearsed,” explains Lennix, “sometimes it tin beryllium a small daunting."

"But we ever had each other. Every nighttime we opportunity a dream earlier we spell connected shape and we cheque successful pinch each other. I deliberation that has really solidified america and really made america consciousness for illustration a family.”

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Jacobs-Jenkins, 40, who won a Tony conscionable past play for his play Appropriate, is “onto something,” LaTaynya, 75, told PEOPLE. “He's nan top surviving playwright correct now, and everybody's going to beryllium up and salary attraction to him.”

Samuel, 76, joined his wife alongside their girl Zoe Jackson astatine nan March premiere of Purpose. LaTanya told PEOPLE that she and nan Pulp Fiction star, joined since 1980, person a “pact” to support acting for arsenic agelong arsenic they tin — with nan caveat that they’ll opportunity erstwhile “it’s time” to retire. 

“[We] some person said we're going to do it till nan wheels autumn off,” she said. “We are conscionable going to do this arsenic agelong arsenic life allows.”

Purpose is now playing astatine nan Helen Hayes Theater.