Ryan Coogler, the visionary director behind groundbreaking films like Black Panther, Creed, and Sinners, has a personal life that’s just as inspiring as his professional achievements. His wife, Zinzi Evans, isn’t just his partner in life but also a key figure in his journey to Hollywood success. The couple’s love story began in college, where they started dating, and their bond has only grown stronger over the years.
Zinzi, a California State University Fresno graduate, is a multifaceted talent herself. She works as a freelance American Sign Language interpreter and has also dipped her toes into producing and assistant directing in the entertainment industry. But her most impactful role might have been early in Ryan’s career when she scraped together money to buy him Final Draft, the screenwriting software he needed to write his first films.
At the time, Ryan was a broke college student juggling football and dreams of filmmaking, and Zinzi’s support was a game-changer. That software became the tool he used to write Fruitvale Station, the film that launched his career.
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Ryan Coogler and His Pregnant Wife, Zinzi Evans, Share Two Children and Are Expecting Their Third
Coogler and Evans tied the knot in May 2016, and their relationship has been a quiet but powerful force in Ryan’s life. While Ryan often credits Zinzi for her unwavering support, she’s stayed largely out of the spotlight, letting her husband’s work speak for itself. But in February 2019, the couple made headlines when they stepped onto the red carpet at the 91st Academy Awards, with Zinzi proudly showing off her baby bump.
She wore a stunning floor-length black dress that highlighted her pregnancy, and the photos of them that night radiated joy. The announcement had first surfaced earlier that month when Zinzi’s hairstylist, Alexander Armand, posted a glamorous shot of the couple before the 2019 Writers Guild Awards, where Zinzi rocked a teal dress that hugged her growing belly. The news thrilled fans, especially since Ryan had been vocal about his desire to become a father, particularly to daughters.
Ryan’s wish for daughters wasn’t just a passing thought. In a February 2018 interview with The YBF, he gushed about how working with the fierce women of Black Panther—like Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, and Danai Gurira—solidified his dream of having girls. “I found I want daughters real, real bad,” he said. “Like plural. I thought, making Fruitvale Station, I want kids. But like, on this one, I have to have some daughters.”
His admiration for the women in his films clearly translated into his personal aspirations. While the couple hasn’t publicly revealed the gender of their two children or shared details about their birth, Ryan’s enthusiasm for fatherhood has been a recurring theme in interviews.
Beyond their growing family (two kids and a third on the way), Ryan and Zinzi have also built a professional partnership. In 2021, they co-founded Proximity Media, a multimedia production company that has already made waves with projects like Judas and the Black Messiah. The company reflects their shared commitment to telling stories that center on underrepresented voices, much like Ryan’s films do. It’s clear that Zinzi isn’t just Ryan’s cheerleader but also his collaborator, bringing her own creativity and vision to their ventures.
The couple’s love story is symbolic of the power of partnership. From college sweethearts to Hollywood power players, they’ve explored fame, family, and creative projects together. Whether it’s Zinzi’s early investment in Ryan’s dreams or their joint efforts to build a production company, their relationship is built on mutual support and shared goals. And with their little ones in the mix, their story is only getting richer. Ryan might be the face of blockbuster films, but behind the scenes, it’s clear that Zinzi is the backbone of their family and their shared legacy.
While they keep their private life relatively low-key, the glimpses we’ve gotten—like their red-carpet appearances or Ryan’s heartfelt interviews—paint a picture of a couple deeply rooted in love, respect, and ambition. Whether Ryan’s dream of multiple daughters has come true or not, one thing’s for sure: the Coogler family is just getting started, both on and off the screen. And if their past is any indication, their future will be just as inspiring as the stories Ryan brings to life in his films.
