Denzel Washington and Pauletta Washington continue to share a deep love more than 40 years into their marriage.
At the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival premiere of The Piano Lesson on Tuesday, Sept. 10, the couple proudly supported their son Malcolm Washington’s feature directing debut, while Pauletta, 73, also shared insights into her and Denzel’s relationship with PEOPLE.
On the red carpet, Pauletta tells PEOPLE what the key is to her long-lasting marriage to the two-time Oscar winner, 69. “There is no secret” to their successful marriage of 41 years, she shares. But there is strong connection.
“We work at it. It’s work,” Pauletta tells PEOPLE. “It’s not that you sit there and you go like, ‘Oh, you know…’ ”
“There are a lot of prayers for strength for staying in a forgiveness mode and both parts, mine and his,” she says. “But it’s the basic love that we have for each other.”
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The couple met on the set of Denzel’s first movie, 1977’s Wilma, but it wasn’t until months later, at a mutual friend’s party, that the two spoke. Six years later, in June 1983, the couple tied the knot and are now parents to four children — John David, 40, Katia, 37, and twins Malcolm and Olivia, 33.
As the couple celebrates their son Malcolm’s feature film premiere at TIFF, they’re also celebrating their eldest son John David’s starring role and daughter Katia’s producing credit. Denzel also co-produced the film. Malcolm dedicated the production, an adaptation of the 1987 play by August Wilson, to his mother.
“It’s such a great honor,” Pauletta tells PEOPLE at the Toronto festival. “I broke down when I saw it.”
Malcolm previously told PEOPLE at the Telluride Film Festival that Pauletta was “at the center” of the film. “This movie is so personal to me, and the people that I got to make it with are the closest people in my life,” he explained.
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At the TIFF premiere, Malcolm tells PEOPLE that he’s still “trying to find out” the secret to his parents’ marriage.
“I don’t know, they love each other, but I don’t know what the secret is,” he says with a grin. “I’m trying to find out.”
Arriving with the family, Denzel proudly celebrated his son’s latest accomplishment. “I’m happy that people will get a chance to see what a filmmaker Malcolm is,” he tells PEOPLE at the Sept. 10 premiere. “I’m excited about our future together with August Wilson.”
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The Piano Lesson is in select theaters Nov. 8, then on Netflix Nov. 22.
